Fracas
by EatOthis
Summary: Hogwarts has an underground pasttime, a game that only the best and the wisest can play in… Patronus battling. The top dog of the game has a very unique patronus, a dragon. But no one knows who he is. LJ
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello! Juz wanted to try this one. I've never done something like this before and I don't know how you'd like it. The only way I would continue this story is well… REVIEWS! Amen? Good.**

Summary:

Hogwarts has an underground past-time, a game that only the best and the wisest can play in… Patronus battling. The top dog of the game has a very unique patronus, a dragon. But no one knows who he is. LJ

Chapter 1

"Oi! Quit shoving!"

"Your shoulder is stuck on my rib!"

"Ouch! That was my foot!"

"Will you all shut up? Filch might hear us!"

"Well, according to the map, he's three floors above us and Norris is a feet above."

"A _feet_ above? Sirius, even the common Englishman without education can spot the error on that one."

"Shhh. Gentlemen, I think this is it."

Four 15 year old boys suddenly appeared from thin air in front of an unnamed landscape painting in Hogwarts's ground floor. Just finding the painting was an extremely hard task. Since it was unnamed, it couldn't be found in any available map. Only rumors were heard of this painting, which only appeared at night.

"Lumos."

The boys marveled on the work of art in front of them. Nothing was so great about it. It wasn't a Picasso or Michaelangelo, just common scenery of a waterfall with tropical plants swaying softly around it. A few birds could be heard twittering, although none could be seen.

"So now that we've found it," one of them named Sirius said. "How do we get in?"

"Um… password?" a boy called Peter meekly suggested.

"No," the one called Remus said. "This isn't a portrait so it can't grant entrance through passwords. We may have to do something to it to make it open."

"Just like the pear in the kitchens?" James, the leader, inquired.

"So we tickle something?"

"Not necessarily."

"So what do we do?"

"Shhh. Someone's coming."

They unlit the lighted wand and hid themselves under the invisibility cloak. The footsteps could be heard clearly now. They thanked Sirius's sensitive hearing for saving them. Minutes later, they saw the outline of a hooded figure come closer. Judging by the height and posture, it was a boy. He stopped in front of the painting and just stared at it.

The boys were astounded as the painting slid upwards to admit the figure. Then it closed instantly, only giving the boys a peek of a torched hallway with stone bricks.

Once the figure was gone, the boys revealed themselves once more.

"What was that?" Sirius asked. "All he did was just stare!"

"No." Remus said. "It was Legilemency. Apparently, they only accept those who are adept Legilemens."

"So does that mean we can't enter?"

"No." James said. "We wait for someone else to come and we sneak in. Peter, change into a rat. It's easier to move when there are fewer people in the cloak. Let's cast Silencing charms so no one would hear us."

The plan was formulated. Peter was already in his animigi form, positioned next to the portrait. The boys waited. It was a very long period of time, but an hour and a half was nothing compared to the months they spent trying to find all this out.

At last, a new figure, also hooded made it in front of the painting. For a while, the person stared at it, and it opened. The boys took their chance. Peter was the first to get in. Then the three managed to stumble in before the painting closed.

However, a slight noise was made by the boys due to lack of coordination. The figure turned. Beneath the hood, James could only make out a pair of notorious gray eyes which scanned the area. After a while, it kept on walking. The boys let out a breath and quietly followed the gray-eyed character. As they went farther in, they could hear noises from people, it sounded like someone was fighting from the other end

They walked through the well-lit hall until they reached huge brass double doors which were, fortunately for the boys, open.

"Wow." Sirius couldn't help gasping.

Inside was a circular arena, about the estimated size of the Great Hall. There were bleachers lined up on the walls and in the middle was a cockpit made up of pure marble. The room was lit by a humungous scoreboard at the opposite of the entrance. The scoreboard was not made of muggle electronics, but by magical smoke, which had corresponding colors for each player.

In front of the scoreboard was a marble rostrum, where a tall hooded figure stood. The boys noticed that he was wearing a brass mask, which only revealed eyes in shocking orange color.

The whole arena was filled with hooded and masked figures with eyes of different shades of color. They were shouting, cheering and making various hand gestures at one another. But their attention was focused on the battle ongoing in the cockpit.

A massive rooster (one-storey tall) of teal color was viciously clawing an equally large misty pink mink which was desperately fighting back. But it was obvious that the rooster was in advantage.

On each end of the arena stood a figure each. One was short and a bit plump while the other was tall and beefy. IT was obvious that the first one was a girl.

The three boys watched in awe and admiration. They made it. They were finally watching the famous Patronus battle. Most people thought that the fights were only rumors. But through endless research in the Restricted section and a bit of blackmail, they had finally seen the reality of it all.

Suddenly, something unexpected happened. The mink bared its sharp teeth and bit the rooster on the neck, pinning the teal animal onto the ground. A painful wail came from the defeated animal as it vaporized into teal smoke and returned to its owner's wand.

"Finally, this match has come to a conclusion." The boy behind the rostrum announced in a strong and clear voice. "As the Patronus of the honorable Talon had fully dissolved, the winner of this challenge is no other than Minstrel!"

The mink approached its owner and united with her wand, disappearing from the applauding crowd. The scoreboard grew pink and revealed the mink's smoky features and some stats concerning the match.

"This is brilliant!" James quietly muttered.

"Yeah."

"And now," the speaker continued as the crowd silenced. "Minstrel will name next her desired challenge."

The girl whispered something to the speaker. The speaker stared at her a while, skepticism flashed in those fiery irises. The girl nodded.

"Very well." he cleared his throat. "Minstrel would like to challenge the reigning champion, The Dragon."

------------------

Gasps filled the room a green-eyed figure quietly stood up from place in the bleachers and elegantly "floated" to an end of the arena.

"As we all know," the speaker said. "The Dragon is currently held as the most supreme of all Patronus. It has been undefeated ever since it joined the Patronus Fracas. If the Minstrel would be able to defeat the Dragon, it would be hailed as the new Laedan after seven years."

The whistle sounded and the opponents released their Patronuses. The mink fearlessly bared her teeth at the opponent.

The Dragon seemed to sigh before releasing a magnificent creature. It was a magnificent long dragon of emerald smoke.

The fight did not last a minute. The mink disbanded after 38.56 seconds.

The Minstrel lost. But it was satisfied in breaking the record of 37. 45 seconds. Cheers broke up in the arena. Unlike in Quidditch, the cheers here are more polite and there was no hooting or screaming. After all, they were all competitors in there.

The announcement of the winner was interrupted by a shrill squeaking sound from the other end of the arena. There was some sort of ruckus at the marble bleachers. A rat seemed to have entered the vicinity.

The Dragon stared at the source of the noise. A rat? There was supposed to be no such thing in a magical school, devoid of impurities (unless the impurities were of Death Eater blood). No, it wasn't just any other rat.

The Dragon caught a glimpse of cloth running beside the rat as it escaped through the hallways. No, it was definitely not an ordinary rat.

---------------------

"What were you thinking Pete?" James cried as they arrived in the dim and empty Gryffindor common room.

"I'm sorry." Peter whimpered. "Someone stepped on my tail."

James breathed deeply. Even though Peter ruined a sacred moment for him, he knew it wasn't his friend's fault. "Fine." he said. "At least we know the Fracas exists."

"Isn't it illegal though?" Sirius asked, plopping down on a sofa. "I mean, do the teachers know about it? And besides, isn't it against the rules?"

"I didn't know you ever thought of the rules Padfoot." James said jokingly, before dodging a throw pillow. "But I don't think that they're breaking any rules except passing curfew."

"I think the teachers know about it." Remus said, sitting down with his friends. "They just permit it. The Fracas has been going on for centuries now. They say that even Dumbledore played in it. I reckon that some of our teachers played in it too."

"How do you enter the Fracas?" Peter asked.

"I don't know." Remus answered. "But I do know that you have to be a great wizard. We've just seen everything with our own eyes: Legilemency, Patronuses… these are stuff that can only be done by the best. I think that immense training is needed for it all."

"But we're only in sixth year! Who the heck has the bloody time to train for all those?"

Remus shrugged. "Honestly, I 'm a bit shocked. I mean, I don't know anyone around here who can produce the Patronus except for James here. And I don't know any Legilemens in this school but Dumbledore.

"The people in there must all be prodigies to have all that natural talent in them. Rumor has it that every wizard and witch in the Orders of Merlin have been in the Fracas. They say that Albus Dumbledore was once a Laedan himself."

"Never knew Hogwarts had that much talent in here."

It was very late already, so the boys decided to go to bed. They went up to their dormitories and went to sleep, the Fracas not getting off their minds.

(--)

_James Potter woke up in the chaise lounge of his father's Head Auror office. He rubbed his tired eyes as he sat up slowly, trying to remember what happened before he dozed off._

_At eleven years old, James was first introduced to his father's workplace. It was his father's attempt in making James understand why he could not be around so much, and perhaps even make James interested in following his footsteps. It was a feeble attempt though, for James found it's boring. Before that, James thought that it was all exciting, being an auror, much more being the Head. But all his father did was sit on a desk at the top of the building for the Magical Law Enforcers, approving stuff that James was either too young or too naïve to understand. _

_James got up after realizing that the seat behind the desk was empty. His father wasn't around the room. The window behind the desk, which showed the view of the rest of the ministry outside was highlighted orange by the setting sun. How late was it already?_

_ The door opened and James turned to see one of the tall Aurors that was under his Dad's command._

_"Young Master Potter," the Auror named Dawlish said. "Your father has instructed me to take you home to the manor."_

_"Why?" James asked. "Why can't _he_ take me home?"_

_"There has been an attack in a Muggle area of Switzerland." the Auror said in a professional tone. "That is all he permitted me to tell you. He had to get there immediately. We shall go back to the manor. Your mother is expecting you."_

_They went out of the building to the Ministry's apparition zone. However, the two came to a halt when they reached the fountain of the different magical beings. There seemed to be some sort of ruckus going on in front of it and a crowd had gathered around it._

_"You _will _pay for what you've done!"_

_"Mum, let's go---"_

_"No Sirius! Not until I have finished with this son of a bi---"_

_"Mrs. Black, I think it is wise for you to follow your son's request."_

_"Don't you mock me Namon, you blood traitor! Bring Andromeda back!"_

_"Mrs. Black, please keep your voice down. You're causing a scene. Perhaps we can---"_

_"No! You bring her back to us right now, you idiotic blood traitor!"_

_"MUM!"_

_"Let go of me, you little wrench!"_

_James couldn't see due to the amount of people surrounding the scene. But through the spaces between the people, he could make out a man with mousy brown hair in an argument against a black-haired woman who was being dragged away in vain by a handsome boy at his age._

_"Mum, let's just go! Dad and Regulus are waiting!"_

_"Didn't I tell you to stop whining?"_

_"But we're making people stare, Mum."_

_"Get out of here, you pathetic boy!"_

_A very audible "smack" sounded in the middle of the crowd. People gasped. James was sure the woman had hit the child._

_"Now that is something I cannot permit, Mrs. Black." The man's voice sounded. "I shall take Sirius home with us tonight."_

_"Oh no you won't, Tonks. You've already stolen our Andromeda. She's engaged to someone else already!"_

_"I am fully aware of that! That is why I took her away, to save her from being someone as indespicable as YOU!"_

_The woman shrieked in rage and began to come towards the man, whom James saw was holding the boy in his arms. Before she could reach them, the two figures disappeared with a loud 'pop'. _

_Mrs. Black, upon realizing what had happened, shrieked once more and tore against the crowd in fury. Dawlish had covered James's ears for Mrs. Black had been letting out loudly a string of violent swear words under her breath._

_"Shouldn't she get arrested for that?" James asked Dawlish as they walked to the manor entrance later. "She hit her own son."_

_"The Blacks are a dark and powerful family, Young Master." Dawlish answered. "Imprisonment of a member is not that easy. They've been accused of doing violent things before, but they always find away to make things turn out for them. They are very powerful. I suggest you stay away from them."_

**Luv it? Hate it? Tell me what you think. If you want to rant then that's okay. I listen** **to all kinds of criticism so feel free to REVIEW. I'll only continue this if someone likes it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm Back! Though I'm still trying to get myself contented with four reviews (hint hint). But oh well… **

**If someone throws you stone, you throw back bread.**

**So here it is… second chapter. But I'd like to reply to my four fabulous reviewers first.**

**SparklingEyesWithACrazyMind – Thanks a lot!!! Glad you think it's good.**

**potterpatrol – I was so overwhelmed about my story ****being "awesome"… it's a big boost for me to review.**

**elakemans – don't worry… I will.**

**daiquiri – Thanks about the comment in my grammar. I've worked hard for a good grade in English. I know James and Sirius are supposed to be "smart w/o trying" (prats :D). I didn't realize they didn't seem to be in here. Don't worry. It'll show.**

(--)

Lily Evans stared at the library's high ceiling. She was leaning back on her chair, making it stand on two legs. A Potions book lay open on the table in front of her. She twirled her wand with her fingers in one hand, making it emit stray yellow sparks.

The sparks from her wand seemed dangerous, but Lily didn't mind. She had started doing it out of habit in first year. A seventh year named Moody once caught her doing it and gave her a two-hour long lecture about the wand accidentally dissolving certain body parts. When he graduated, Lily went back to her habit, ignoring all warnings entirely. Sparks like those are just her wand's stimulus from quick movements. It wouldn't cause any harm, though sometimes she wished it would. A small fire in the library perhaps?

Lily smirked. The idea was _really _tempting.

She settled her chair back and held her wand firmly on her left hand. She pointed it on a stray piece of parchment on her desk. After checking if anyone's around, she muttered the spell.

"_Inflamarae_!"

The parchment started burning. She watched as the flame became stronger. She was about to take it and toss it over to a shelf full of books. Lily watched as the yellow-orange flames slowly scattered to the pages of the books, tearing through it mildly. It had grown quite large until a deep voice interrupted the sadistic form of Lily's 'entertainment'.

"_Aguamenti!"_

Lily sighed. "You would have wanted a little action in the library too, Frank." She said without turning to see who it is.

"You shouldn't do that you know." a tall blue-eyed boy with dark hair told her from behind, albeit trying not to smile in vain. His robes bore the yellow seal with a badger. His deep voice resonated authority despite the amused expression. "Those poor Ravenclaws would die to find their books turned to ash."

"They'd get over it."

"You need those books when you start NEWTS." the lad said, sitting down in front of her. "This is the Potions section after all."

Lily raised a brow. "NEWTS are not until next year." she said hotly.

Frank feigned shock. "Lily Evans taking the NEWTS with ease? I never thought I'd see the day!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm not a nerd."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "Contrary to popular belief?"

"Contrary to popular belief."

Lily glared at him. He just smiled back.

"Well, I have to go." Frank announced, standing up. "15 minutes left before free period ends and I still have that bloody Transfiguration essay to rush."

He left the alcove of bookshelves but cocked his head into it before getting further. "And don't burn anything."

Lily rolled her eyes and turned back to her Potions book.

She couldn't concentrate. Her thoughts wandered to what Frank said. A nerd. Is that what everyone thinks of her? Lily sighed. She couldn't really blame them. She was always cooped in the library. Always ahead in class. Always the favorite of teachers. Always knew the answers. She was branded as a perfect little angel who always followed the rules.

If only they knew.

Lily Evans was _no _angel. At day she was what everyone expects her to be: shy, plain, quiet, lonely. But at night, she was feared, revered, unbeatable and fierce.

She was a Dragon.

(--)

_11 year-old Lily Evans read a beaten up book entitled _Advanced Spells: the Art of Self-Defense _on the bay window of her room in a quiet little inn at Switzerland. It was fascinating, the book. Her new friend, Frank Longbottom, had sent it to her as a Christmas present, along with some other books. The texts were not new. They were in fact, secretly salvaged by Frank from the Longbottom residence's library, which, according to him, was picking up dust. Lily, whom he knew was so fond of reading, found them as the perfect gift. She didn't mind that they weren't new as long as they were substantial._

_It was the Christmas holidays and the Evanses decided to take a trip to the Alps to go skiing. Lily didn't like skiing as much as her parents would've wanted to. She preferred flying, but mentioning certain things to them would only make her sister, Petunia, hysterical and that would lead them to having another big row, thus wasting a good holiday._

_Lily decided to feign both enthusiasm… and a sprain ankle. Her parents wanted to take her to the doctor, she said it was fine and all she needed was hot chocolate and some rest._

_So she was now sitting there in comfort while the rest of her family was out there on the slopes. She would occasionally imagine Petunia's shrill cries about height of the peaks and the screams of fear once she actually drops down the slopes. Lily smiled at the thought. _

_She was reading about Dementors and the way of driving them away. Expecto Patronum, the words echoed in her mind. It was supposed to be a hard thing and even experienced wizards have difficulty in achieving it. She got out her wand from her backpack. She had secretly taken it with her, just as a precaution, for these were dark times, as an evil wizard named Voldemort was on the rise._

_She was about to chant the spell when she remembered that she wasn't allowed to do magic out of school. _Damn! _she thought. Then she shrugged. Oh well, she'll have to practice it in school._

_Soon, she grew too tired to read so she put her book down and went out of her room._

_Suddenly, she felt a dark aura around her. Everything was so quiet in the inn. The usual talking and laughter was not there. She walked out of the hall to the stairs. Everyone was still there, but they too seem to have felt it. They were all eerily quiet. Some were shuddering at the sudden coldness of the place. Lily slowly climbed down the stairs. She could tell that something was wrong._

_She went out, pulling her jacket tighter around her. She rounded a corner and that was where she saw them._

_There was a Dementor gliding down the sidewalk, with its long fingers and hollow-seeming hood. Seeing it made Lily want to cry The muggles could not see it of course, but Lily knew they could feel the gloomy presence._

_Why was it here? Should it be staying in Azkaban, guarding the prisoners?_

_Then she noticed that it was not alone. It was accompanied by a respectable-looking blond man in his late fifties wearing a beige and huge fur coat over a smart suit. He was also carrying what seemed to be a walking stick. Lily thought that the man must be extremely rich to be able to dress like that._

_She followed the two in front of what seemed like a dingy shop. Lily realized that she was in the place which may be considered as the shady part of the town._

_Reluctantly, Lily watched them closely. They did not enter the shop, but they just stood there, as if waiting for someone. There were not much people in the area, as it was getting dark and the place wasn't really attractive at all. Moments later, the vicinity was devoid of all humans except the wizard and Lily._

_After a few minutes, a small 'pop' sounded out of nowhere and there was suddenly a hooded figure in front of the rich man. _

_That mask, Lily thought. Yes, it was a Death Eater, You-Know-Who's rumored followers. Lily gasped and hid behind a small alley._

_She was panting in shock. A Death Eater in a Muggle village! What would happen now?_

_Lily took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Think, Lily. Think. How would she be able to contact the Ministry? She had no owl of her own. Floo powder was out of the question. Wasn't there a wizarding village here somewhere?_

_"Are you sure Marcus?"_

_"Yes. I am sure I saw something move here."_

_Lily froze at the voices. Those were obviously the Death Eaters. They had seen her. Her heart began to race again. What would she do now?_

_She decided to go deeper down the alley and try to hide there. But the moment she moved, she felt something cold right behind her._

_She turned to see the Dementor hovering in front of her. Lily let out a scream before stumbling backwards._

_"Finish her!" someone shouted._

_Lily impulsively grasped her wand and concentrated on the first happy memory she remembered: The time when she first got to see magic in front of her._

_"Expecto Patronum!"_

_She saw something silvery green emerge from the tip of her wand. Her vision had blurred as she started to get unconscious, so she did not see what exactly got out of her wand. But she knew it stayed there, stayed until the sadness, the fear and the anxiousness inside her died down. But before she fell, a thought hit her._

_Aren't Patronuses silvery-WHITE?_

_The next thing she knew, she was in a bed. No one else was there to greet her. Not her parents, not her sister, no one. She looked around. She seemed to be in an Infirmary, as the walls were white along with the sheets of her bed. The side table was topped by a vase of roses with a note._

From Mum, Dad and Petunia. We're sorry we can't stay until you wake up. We received an urgent call from the agency. We we're worried sick about you.

_Lily scowled at the note. Worried sick? Yeah right. Her parents were always like that: too immersed in work. And she knew Petunia didn't care an ounce for her. _

_Suddenly, the Infirmary doors opened, revealing a short dark-haired boy who immediately rushed beside her._

_"Lily! What happened to you? Mum and Dad won't tell me! They said you were in the Alps and someone attacked you. But they wouldn't tell who! Are you all right?"_

_"I'm fine, Frank. My head's just a bit dizzy. Where am I?"_

_"We're in St. Mungo's, Lily." Frank answered. "Mum works here as a Healer. She managed to get you an exclusive room instead of a ward. I think they're trying to keep something secret, because they told me not to tell anyone you're here."_

_"What about my pa---"_

_The door opened once more and in came a woman with the same dark hair wearing the traditional Healer's garment with the wand and the bone on her chest._

_"Frank!" the woman said. "Didn't I tell you not to wake the poor girl up?"_

_"I didn't, Mum. She was awake already when I came in."_

_The woman seemed to ignore him as she stood beside Lily's bed. "How are you feeling, dear?"_

_"I'm dizzy."_

_"Ah, the aftereffects of a rejuvenating potion. You gave us quite a fright there." the woman said, taking out her wand and summoning a small vial from a shelf beside the door. She made Lily drink the potion and the headache she had instantly went away._

_"Mrs. Longbottom—"_

_"Augusta, dear."_

_"Augusta, what happened before I fell unconscious?"_

_Before she could answer, someone knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for an answer. In came a man with sandy colored hair and amber eyes. Lily thought he looked familiar as he went up to her bed beside Mrs. Longbottom._

_"How is she?"he asked the healer, looking at Lily curiously. _

_"She's fine. A bit woozy, but she's already taken in a relieving potion so she'll be alright."_

_"Ah."_

_Lily stared at the man. So did Frank. The stranger was looking at Lily straight in the eye. Lily stared back. There was something strange with him. She felt like she had seen him before._

_"We'll leave you two alone then." Mrs. Longbottom said before taking a loudly protesting Frank with her out of the room._

_Once the door was closed, they were still looking at each other's eyes, the man with a hint of fascination and the girl with utmost confusion._

_"Hello." the man greeted her casually and extended a hand. "My name is Savio. Jason Savio."_

_Lily shook his hand a bit hesitantly and realizing that it was rude to stare, decided to introduce herself._

_"I'm Lily. Lily Evans--- sir."_

_"I know." He conjured a chair with his wand and sat beside the bed. "I work for the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry (__**TENTATIVE PA LANG ITOH).**_

_Lily remained speechless. She really had nothing to say. Who was this man and what was he doing there? How did she get there in the first place? How long had it been since the Dementor? Lily was agitated. Before she knew it, she was asking the man a lot of questions._

_"How long has it been since I got here?"_

_"About a day, Lily."_

_"What happened?"_

_The man named Jason started explaining to her what happened. He was in the Alps along with them, shared the same inn and shared the same feeling of darkness as she did. He followed the feeling too, like she did, only with more caution. He watched as the three figures approached Lily's hiding place after the blond man expressed suspicion that they were not alone. _

_"They are Death Eaters, Lily." Jason said. "The Dementor is one of those that have been recruited on to the dark side. We have guessed that it was being delivered from one man to the other. After that happened, you were rushed here at St. Mungo's. We have notified your family already and they followed instructions to go home. They were here for a brief moment, but went away, explaining that they have their business to attend to." Lily grimaced. "The incident has already been reported to the Ministry and Aurors are currently investigating. But it is not what intrigues me."_

_Lily noticed that glint in his eyes was back once more. _

_After a long pause, he asked her. "What did you do to drive that Dementor away?"_

_Lily gazed at those curious brown irises for a moment before answering. "It was a Patronus, sir. I just read about it from a book. I just thought of a happy memory and cast the spell."_

_The man smiled gleefully._

_"Once you discharge from this place," he said, standing up. "You will be officially recommended to join the Noble Fracas of Hogwarts." _

**Sooooo… whaddaya think??? It's kinda short I know... got to learn how to write longer.**

**You can either scream your opinion on your monitor or just press that little button right...**

**There:**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow!!! 11 reviews after the second update… Thanks a lot!**

**Anyway, I'm sorry about the quote "tentative pa lang itoh" at the past chapter, as **_**curiousgeorge **_**pointed out to me. It's actually dialect for ''this is just tentative', because back then, I didn't know if I should post it. I guess I forgot to erase it before I posted the chapter.**

**IMPORTANT: I'M CHANGING THEIR CURRENT AGE FROM 16 TO 15…. OKAY??? AMEN? GOOD!**

**Anyway… enjoy:**

_(--)_

_11 year-old James closed the fifth filing cabinet in his father's storeroom. It was a small place connected to his father's office and it was filled with cabinets and containers of all sorts. All of which had files inside them. James swore that it contained everything that his father didn't use anymore, even the ones that were not related to work. He didn't blame him though. His mother refused to put clutter in their home, not even in the attic._

_He was stuck there, for the remaining days of the week, cleaning, and sorting the files. It was supposed to be easy as the cabinets each contained files of the same decade and James only had to arrange them by date. However, his father had personal stuff in there too, such as trivial grocery receipts, outdated magazines, an old record of some ancient muggle singer(which he listened to that night), and even some love letters that were sent to his mother. The letters delayed him the most, as he just HAD to read them and laugh over his father's sappy lines._

_Aside from the letters, there was nothing else amusing in the dusty storeroom. That was what James thought until he saw a wooden box sitting on top of a filing cabinet. It was pushed all the way to the back and covered in a thick layer of cobwebs, almost hiding it away from view. James took it and cleaned the dust away and it revealed an encrypted "Hogwarts" on the front. He tried to open it, but the strength of the lock told him that It was magically sealed. Not a simple "Alohamora" could open it. So James decided to take drastic measures and open it in a way that magic couldn't:_

_The muggle way._

_Ha took the crowbar that, for some reason, was tucked away in a corner, and completely holed the lid. Once it was open, he stuck his hand inside and felt the old parchment under. He scooped the documents out of the box, after convincing himself that there was nothing wrong in doing so. They did after all, asked him to clean up without magic to develop "work ethics" before he came to school._

_He then started to scan the documents. It contained a lot of rubbish, mostly scraps of homework, candy wrappers, detention slips (which James found interesting) and some cut-out Quidditch articles. At the bottom of the box was a stack of parchment tied up in a black ribbon. James untied it and unfolded the documents. The front parchment had its letters in black ink that was too shiny to be any ordinary ink._

_**Fracas**_

_**The Most Humble Beholders of the Grand Patronuses **_

_**To the one that carries ivory:**_

_**We are glad to impose upon you, the responsibility of being a constituent of Fracas.**_

_**You are to have your first encounter at the end of the season of toil.**_

_**The Laedan expects you to be in front of the door the next time the goddess shows in her most supreme beauty.**_

_**You are to show yourself in all folds and veil**_

_James had no idea what it was nor what it meant. It seemed like a riddle of some sort. It was something he didn't understand. But who would talk to his father in riddles? And what the heck was Fracas?_

(--)

"I believe that you all understand the seriousness and significance of your O.W.L.s. For five years you have been trained in this school with…"

James saw Sirius's shoulders droop and mouth hang open at the mention of the exams. It had been the fifth time they were given that speech. First by Flitwick, then by Binns, then by McGonagall, after her, Sprout, and now Slughorn was doing it too.

James did not bother listen to the lecture. He knew what it was all about after all. What was on his mind at that very moment was the Fracas.

If people knew about this, they would think that he's obsessed already. James couldn't blame them. After all, they've been looking for the Fracas for five years already. Ever since James found that letter, he had always wondered what it was, and sometimes even dreamed of joining in it.

He had already asked his father about it, albeit indirectly. He started off with questions concerning the Patronus. His father was delighted to hear that his son was interested in Defense, so he started to tell him about it. Little did he know that James would sneak in sometimes to their attic to and practice the aforementioned charm with their household boggart.

He was about to ask his father about the Fracas until one night, when he saw the damaged wooden box in his father's very own study. He supposed that his father found out that he had stolen the invitation from it since the parent talked to him less. James was a bit put off by his father's actions.

One day, he couldn't resist it anymore and so he confronted his father about the invitation.

"It is something I cannot tell you, James." his father said, more of in a tired way than in a furious one. "That is something you have to find out for yourself."

So James started to search, with only the letter he found five years ago as a clue. Along the way, his friends joined him. He was very thankful for that. At least, he was not alone in his quest.

"Mr. Potter!" Slughorn bellowed, cutting through his thoughts. "Can you please enumerate the ingredients of an advanced calming potion?"

James recited the stuff they used whenever they got too drunk. He knew them all by heart, as they also used it after animagus transformations. He was grateful they did too, for he didn't want to be accused of spacing out.

"Very good Mr. Potter. Ten points for Gryffindor." Slughorn said.

The class was interrupted by a small noise at the middle of the room. "Um, excuse me, sir." Frank Longbottom's deep voice echoed. "I believe that Ms. Evans here wants to add something."

The professor put on a curious look. "Really? What is it, child?"

James saw that Lily Evans had to be poked by Longbottom several times before finally standing up. "It's just that… I've looked up the potion in a more advanced source in the library---" Evans paused as a few people snickered. She hesitantly continued. "And I found out that to make the potion faster in effectiveness, a bit of pixie blood should be added…"

The sniggering grew a little louder. Even Sirius and Peter rolled their eyes. Remus sighed deeply from behind him. It did not seem to have an effect on her though, as she calmly sat down on her seat with a placid face. But James knew better. She was affected, he was sure.

Professor Slughorn, despite being a Slytherin, seemed to take pity on her. "Ah, yes." he exclaimed. "Pixie blood is a very good catalyst. It would no doubt be a big help in improving the potion's speed. Twenty points to Gryffindor for that piece of knowledge."

James sighed. It hadn't been the first time for Lily Evans to chip in tidbits of information like that. Every time she did, people thought it funny. Bookworm Evans always had something in her brain to share. However, most of the time, Frank Longbottom would always urge her to do it for some reason. James found nothing wrong in giving additional information. He just thought that Evans should do it in a more confident way.

Professor Slughorn droned on about calming potions. James was not in the mood to listen or take notes. He didn't like it when teachers begin to divulge in lectures. Only people like Evans like that. James preferred the actual process of making and using whatever was taught to them. That was why he like Defense and Transfiguration better, because they were more hands-on.

He began to plunge in daydream again, until Professor Slughorn mentioned…

"… who know Animagus and Legilemency. It is very effective against battling side-effects of rigorous training for such advanced magic… You'd like to add something Ms. Evans?"

People groaned softly at Evans's hand in the air. "But sir… I thought that Legilemency's side-effects are supposed to be endured fearlessly? I mean, the pain and concentration have to be taken in by the wizard to make it more effective and help them get used to the pain."

Professor Slughorn stared blankly at Lily first, before talking. "Ah, yes. The calming potion does, however, decrease the wizard's competitiveness in the field. It is said to be only for the weak. That is why most prefer eating Chocolate Frogs or any soothing food afterwards."

James looked at Evans. She was listening intently to the professor now, her brow furrowed. Frank Longbottom was also eagerly listening, although in a less obvious way. Perhaps they knew something about advanced magic, only James didn't know what they would need Legilemency for. Maybe it was for homework?

The bell rang and everyone packed up their things before going out of the dungeons.

"Evans sure did it double today." Sirius said as they began to head out through the huge doors.

"What do you mean? She's always doing it like that." Remus told him.

"Ah. Someone's _jealous _over Sluggy's favoritism?"

"Shut up, you _Snuffles_."

"Yeah, yeah…_moon goddess._"

"I swear something's going on with her and Longbottom." James interjected.

"You mean they're together?" Peter asked.

"I guess so." Sirius said. " It's either that or Longbottom's gay."

(--)

"It's either that or Longbottom's gay."

Lily raised her eyebrows and tried to control her silent laughter as Frank gagged beside her. By chance, they were walking behind Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew as they headed out to the Great Hall for lunch.

"_I'm going to kill those bastards."_" Frank told her through light Legilemency.

"_What are you going to do?"_

_"I'll think of something." _Lily saw that he had a mischievous look on.

_"Inform me if you have plans."_

_"Someone pissed because she got called a nerd?"_

_"No Frank. Besides, they didn't call me a nerd."_

_"Yeah, but they implied it."_

_"Well, it's better than being called gay."_

_"Anyway, what do you think of the lesson?"_

_"You're just trying to change the subject, but I'll humor you. I never thought of the Chocolate Frogs. Savio never gave them to me. He said that taking anything soothing would just make me depen---" _

Their mental conversation ended when Professor Slughorn called Lily from behind. Eventually, the four boys looked back too. Their eyes widened when they saw who were behind them.

Frank sent them his very well-known intimidating look. It wasn't a glare, more like a cross between a smirk and a curious glance. He said goodbye to Lily before walking past the boys Lily rolled her eyes and went back to the teacher.

(--)

"James!" Sirius called at his friend who dashed after Evans towards the classroom. "Oi! Where are you going?"

James pressed a finger on his lips to placate them and the four boys listened to the conversation. Everyone else had left already and the whole corridor was silent.

"You do know, Ms. Evans, that mentioning all that information on Legilemency can be dangerous." they heard the teacher say. "No book in any library mentions Legilemency's learning methods in full. The facts you stated earlier are supposed to be secrets of trade handed down from generation to generation by word alone."

" But sir, aren't we supposed to leave marks?"

"That is not the point here. The point is that when you expose yourself and your knowledge, your life might be in danger."

"I am completely aware of the risks I take, Professor."

"Well judging by your actions earlier, you seem to have some naivety in you." Slughorn sounded angry now. There was a pause before the boys heard a firm "_Muffliato"._

After that, the boys heard nothing else. They understood that they were probably caught. So they decided to run.

(--)

Lily cast the spell after sensing something outside. A rat, she was pretty sure. It would be interesting to find out who it was. When she got out of the classroom, no one else was out there. She smiled. As the current Laedan, she had to investigate. But she knew she didn't have to look hard. They would just come to her.

(--)

_James held the note in his hands, trying to contemplate what it meant. He was on the Hogwarts Express, alone in a compartment. He had been lucky to get into the train first. It was his paranoid mother who made him come early so he wouldn'tmiss the train. He boarded in thirty minutes before everyone else arrived. As time passed by he decided to observe what was going on through the compartment's windows. _

_Everyone else was either saying goodbye to their family or greeting new friends. He didn't do any of those. His parents were in an emergency situation at the moment. They left him all alone minutes after he boarded the train._

_James looked back at the note and decided to concentrate on it instead of sulking. He still couldn't understand it._

_Fracas… James searched the libraries in both their home's and the ministry's about the Fracas. He found no knowledge concerning the matter, but he vowed to scan the Hogwarts library when he got there. The subtitle only told him that it had something to do with Patronuses._

_Carrier of Ivory? Was that supposed to be his dad? He didn't know anything his father had that was made of ivory. Ivory came from elephants right? Yeah sure, his father once mentioned that he liked the splendor of elephants, but he didn't have any obsessions about it. They didn't have an elephant as far as James was concerned. So what was it? Perhaps it was addressed to someone else?_

_James stared at the note and thought hard. He only stopped once he heard knock on the door._

_The compartment door slid open to reveal a fellow first-year. He recognized the same boy who was dragging his mother out of Ministry premises that other time._

_"Sorry to barge in like that." he said. "But other compartments are full. Do you mind if I stay here?"_

_James remembered as he spoke, that he was a Black, and Blacks should be avoided. The other boy however, didn't seem to be a member of some dark pureblood family. He was polite enough, and he even managed to give James a shy smile. There was noting wrong, James supposed, in letting him sit. After all, they barely knew each other._

_"Sure." James answered as he took off a few possessions from the seat across him to let Black sit down. Once he did, he introduced himself._

_"Sirius Black." he said, stretching out a hand to him._

_James hesitated for a while, but then accepted hi s hand and shook it. "James Potter."_

_"I know." Sirius said. "I've heard about you from my Mum."_

_James was surprised to hear that. "Your mother?" he said. "Um, what did she say?"_

_Sirius smiled at him. "You've seen her, right? She put a show in front of the fountain that time. I saw you in the crowd. Don't worry about her. All she says is rubbish."_

_James smiled back at him. The boy didn't seem to like his family at all. _

_"So what house do you expect to be in?" James asked him, expecting his answer to be the one of snakes._

_Sirius just shrugged. "I really have no idea. I mean, my family is purely Slytherin, except for the ones blasted out of my Mum's carpet."_

_The famous Black Family Carpet, James thought. That thing is famous._

_"Well anyway," Sirius continued. "I guess I'll just have to see. I'm sort of a black sheep, you know, because I'm different. But being in a house other than Slytherin would be nice." There was a pause before he spoke again. "So how about you? What house do you want to go in?"_

_"Well, my family is all Gryffindor so I think I'll know where I'd be."_

_"Oh… what's that?"_

_Sirius was pointing at the parchment in James's hands. James hesitated for a while, trying to decide whether he could trust Sirius. "Don't worry." Sirius said. "If it's a secret, I won't force you. But I just have to let you know, I am curious."_

_James sighed and gave it to him. "I found it in my Dad's office." he said as Sirius read the parchment. "I don't understand it. I tried asking my Dad, but he wouldn't tell me. He said I'd have to find out on my own."_

_"I think it's some kind of acceptance letter so a sort of society." Sirius told him. "Constituent means member, and if they handed him responsibility for being one, then it means that he's accepted."_

_"I thought so too." James said. "I also think that the 'carrier of Ivory' thing is some sort of elephant… or someone related to elephants. I don't think it's my Dad."_

_There was a short silence until Sirius looked up from the letter. "There still is a chance that this is your father's" he said. "Is his patronus an elephant?"_

_"No. His patronus is a bull. But I have to admit, I've never thought of it that way… Bulls don't have ivory."_

_The conversation of the two boys held on until the end of the ride. They were even surprised that they were in Hogwarts already. They've figured out a few clues regarding the letter. _

_As James lied down on his bed that night, he wondered how a single letter can bring two people together, as Sirius had battled with the sorting hat to be in Gryffindor, with James. He succeeded. This made James happy, for he was at least assured that he was not alone in his journey._

(--)

Lily took notes in Arithmancy hurriedly. She already regretted taking the class. It was like Muggle Math and as a child, it was her waterloo.

It had been a few days after Slughorn's conversation with her. She had finally made up for her mistake by charming the professor once again with more than perfect potions and lots of recitations.

Lily had been very busy the past week. Also, she had a match in the Fracas three nights ahead. Her position as Laedan was being challenged by a buffalo Patronus by the alias of Blood Red. It was held by a cocky Ravenclaw 6th year, Amos Diggory.

In the Fracas, no one is supposed to know each other. However, that rule began to falter generations ago as friends within it began to tell identities to each other. Nowadays, you could only be kept hidden from the others once you choose to be hidden. There was a mutual law in Fracas that you cannot expose someone else's identity without their permission. Lily chose to be hidden. The Laedan was known to be a boy with average height and green eyes. Lily would charm her voice to become manlier and always hid her hair within her hood. She also made her cloak a few modifications so that it would make her look taller. She was glad to be Laedan, for the position held knowledge of all identities in the Fracas, and some who were in it before they graduated. Her position also assured her that no one else in Fracas, except for the witty announcer, knew who the Dragon was

She glanced at the clock. Twenty more minutes. She wished that Frank was there to ease the boredom and restlessness. The boy was out in the grounds with Care of Magical Creatures, probably getting burnt by some blast-ended-skrewts. She giggled at the thought.

She finally gave up note-taking and glanced around the room. The class was a mix of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. There were only a few Gryffindors compared to the other house. Once her gaze reached her right, she caught Remus Lupin staring at her. He quickly looked away.

Lily smiled inwardly. So she caught the rat. But she had to make sure.

She turned back to her half-filled parchment yet did not continue writing. Instead, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She fell into a subconsciousness where there were lots of minds in abstract forms. She finally saw Remus Lupin's and divulged herself into it.

She found out that Lupin was not thinking of the lesson either. He was thinking of his friends and…

_What's this? _Lily thought. _Legilemency?_

Lily sent out a message before she crept out of the boy's thoughts before he could detect her.

But she was sure she had found the rat, or shall we say rats. Those four were up to something, and they were definitely going to pry.

(--)

"Fat lot of good that would do us." Sirius said to James as they climbed down out of Divination. "_Breathe in the essence of the future! Feel with your Inner Eye. _I swear I'd die if I have to take NEWT classes on that one."

"I agree." James announced smilingly as they climbed down from the tower to the corridor. "Trelawney's not much of a teacher. Rumor says she's faking it. Do you reckon it's true that the Inner Eye really does run in the family?"

"I have no idea, mate. Oi Remus! What's the rush?"

Remus was walking briskly towards them, knocking some people on the way. It was like he was trying to run away from someone.

"Hey, slow down." James told him as he reached the two friends. "Something wrong?"

"I – legilemens – found out." Remus said between breaths. James and Sirius let him breathe for a while until he regained normal breaths. Then they let him speak.

"We've been found out." Remus said. "I felt someone penetrate my mind while I was thinking of what we heard back at the dungeons."

"Do you know who it is?"

"No. He sent a message. It wasn't in words, but I could sort of feel what he was trying to say."

Remus paused and took a couple of deep breaths before continuing. "He told me to lay off Evans."

"What? Why would anyone tell you that?" Sirius asked, then an expression of dawning spread on his face. "Do you _fancy _her?"

"I'm serious here!"

James stopped Sirius from telling one of those corny 'serious' jokes for Remus looked like he could take on a hippogriff.

"Sshh. Here she comes."

Evans turned towards the corridor they were in. The boys pretended not to pay any attention to her. James, however, could not resist glancing up at her.

She didn't look at him and his friends. She didn't even realize that James was staring at her openly as she walked by. She rounded up the corner and disappeared.

"What were you doing, James!" Remus said. "You were staring openly at her."

"I guess James fancies her too."

"Oh, shut up!"

James kept on looking at the direction Lily went as his friends bickered in the background. Then he felt something eerie going on around him. Suddenly, just as Remus felt, a sensation came up to him.

_By the door. Tonight. Alone._

"James? You alright mate?"

He snapped back after feeling Remus's hand on his shoulder. He gave him a small smile. He realized that his friends did not feel anything, that the message was only meant for him.

"I'm fine, Remus."

(--)

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**The next chapter would take quite a while to make as I have to enroll for my first year of college, attend Freshmen orientation programs and stuff like that. I'm about to study in a campus so huge that we got lost in it, even with a map. Plus I'm turning 16 this May (Woohoo – insert eye-rolling)… wish me luck!**

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	4. Chapter 4

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(-0)

A lone figure got out of the portrait of the Fat Lady when the clock struck 11:30. He surveyed a piece of parchment in one hand and held an invisibility cloak over himself with the other. Thankfully, no one else was awake at the moment except a few snogging couples at the third floor, some prefects and Mr. Filch with his cat.

Despite the conscious beings prowling about the castle, the figure found that his route was safe. He was in no rush in getting to the place he was supposed to get into. He was actually quite nervous about it. He did not know what to expect from whoever it was that summoned him. His current feelings were a mix of anxiety and curiosity, to top it all, he felt slightly intimidated by the other person, whoever he might be.

As he expected, he got to his destination without much hassle. The painting stood before him. He took of his cloak and closed up the map.

_Now what?_

He hoped that he was right about the entrance being the "door" that the Legilemens was talking about. He didn't know what else it could be, so he took the risk and came there in the middle of the night. But when he got there, he didn't know what would happen next.

He stood there, staring at the artwork before him. Maybe he should try Legilemency? _Nah, I don't know how. They'll probably think I'm stupid for trying. _His stubborn side called for him to give it a try. James Potter, no matter how smart he is, almost always resulted to following his gut, so he tried.

He closed his eyes for a while and focused on nothing in particular, for he didn't know what to do. Was he really supposed to close his eyes? Evans mentioned something about pain. Did he have to endure it? He squeezed his eyes shut and felt nothing happen to him.

He continued on for a few minutes until a masculine voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You should not try something like that, you know."

James opened his eyes to see a hooded figure in front of him. Hew wondered on the silent appearance of the person. It was dark and he couldn't see well. His first impression was that the figure was a Death Eater. However, upon seeing that the mask only covered half of his face, he knew that he was not one.

"Err… hi?" he greeted sheepishly.

"What is your business here?" the figure said, not moving an inch.

"Er, well, someone kind of called me to come here." James explained, not really knowing what to say. What if the message was just a trick that his own imagination pulled on him? What would he do? Would the figure inflict any kind of bodily harm? Or perhaps he'd probably just get obliviated.

"And who may this 'someone' be?"

James felt his mouth run dry. He saw that the figure had his hand in his robe pocket. He casually placed his hand in his pocket too, feeling the wood of his wand. "Actually, I have no idea who the person is."

"So someone sent you here, but you don't know who?"

"Er… yes."

"Well, people like you are not welcome here." the figure said. He got out his wand, James did the same. The figure laughed hollowly. James flinched at the sound. "You really think you can fight someone like me? You who just pulled that pathetic attempt at Legilemency and---"

"That's enough, Titan."

The two whipped around to see another hooded figure approach them. His voice was lighter, yet powerful. He stood at about two inches shorter than James and beneath the hood were a pair of emerald green eyes.

The first hooded person suddenly seemed fazed by the presence. "Laedan." he greeted, lowering his wand quickly and sinking into a slight bow. "We have a trespasser."

"I can see that." the green-eyed person said, glancing up and down at James. Then he looked back at Titan. "Why aren't you inside?"

"I sensed a presence here outside, my Lord." he answered.

_My Lord? _James thought. _So he must be the head or the leader._

"So you decided to handle the trespasser all by yourself?" the Laedan snapped back, his voice lowering dangerously. Titan backed away a few inches. James saw a hint of hostility in his eyes. He too, suddenly felt scared.

"Well my Lord," Titan began as calmly as possible. "I was about to obliviate him---"

"You did not answer my question." the Laedan interrupted. "However I shall let this pass. You know the rules of our forefathers, Titan. See to it that you will not break them again."

"Yes, my Lord."

"You may now retreat."

Titan bowed once more before entering the painting. James was suddenly alone with the green-eyed terror. He looked at him again. Those eyes seemed familiar somehow, though James could not place them.

"How did you find this portrait?" the figure asked him. His voice was commanding, yet soft at the same time. He didn't display an air of arrogance at all.

"Er, you see sir… my friends and I kind of stumbled upon it during one of our midnight rendezvous." James answered, careful as not to stutter.

There was a short tension-filled pause and James's hands became sweaty in anxiousness.

"You should know by now Mr. Potter, that I do not appreciate being lied at."

James breathed deeply. _Okay, so he didn't fell for it._ He decided that the best thing to do was to just tell him the truth. After all, what he wanted was to be one of them. Perhaps if he told him that, he would be given a clue as to what to do next.

"Well, you see, my friends and I have been searching for this place since first year. We've heard about the Fracas and we've decided to look for it."

"Where did you hear about us."

James debated in his head if he should tell. Would his father get, er, punished for leaving his invite in a dusty old box in a storage room?

"Would it make a difference if you knew?" James asked back. It wasn't easy to do, as he feared that the figure would hurt him in some way if he talked back.

He watched as the Laedan's eyebrows shot up. "No." he said, sounding amused. "Not at all. But I do need to know why."

Their conversation was haltered by the sudden opening of the painting. "My Lord," an orange-eyed hooded figure cried as he gracefully stumbled out of the painting, if that was possible. "A riot is taking place."

The Laedan let out an audible sigh. "We shall continue this another time, Mr. Potter." he said before approaching the artwork. He stopped before he can go further in. "However, there is something I would like to request from you."

"What is it--- sir?"

"Please leave Ms. Evans alone." he said in a firm voice, making it sound more like a command than a request. "It is a personal matter and she has nothing to do with the Fracas. So please, do not bother her with… you r stalker tendencies. Thank you."

Before James could retort about the 'stalker tendencies', the painting had shut close, leaving him on his own in the dark corridor.

(--)

_James and Sirius ran for their hides one evening. They were being chased by the caretaker's cat, for they were after curfew and Filch was too far away to be called by the feline._

_The boys just came from the kitchens and they got out, not knowing that it was already near midnight. They lost track of time, trying to solve the riddles in the parchment… and just talking about nothing in particular, sharing a few jokes and having a treacle tart-eating contest. So it was expected that the riddles were left unsolved. _

_They rounded a corner until they saw the first door they saw that was open. They went into it and shut it hurriedly._

"_That-was…"_

"_Bloody-brilliant!" Sirius finished for him as the two of them tried to regain their breaths. They had collapsed against the doors and realized where they were._

_They were in the library, which was empty at the moment. The rows of shelved looked eerie against the darkness of the night. The darkness was illuminated by a faint light at the other end of the big room._

_James nudged Sirius and pointed to the direction of the light._

"_Check it out?"_

_Sirius shrugged and they both got to their feet. The approached the light cautiously, as if it was some sort of predator. Neither realized that they were getting very far away from the entrance._

"_Sirius," James whispered to his friend. "I think we should go back."_

"_Someone's in there, James."_

"_But this is the Restricted Section." James hissed, pointing at the brass sign above them._

"_Well if this is the Restricted Section, then how come it's not locked? Besides, someone's in there. We should at least find out who it is, right?"_

_James didn't argue back. In the past weeks of hanging out together, James found out that Sirius was much braver than James was, and he had that mischief in him that was very contagious. Even James sometimes finds himself joining in whatever prank or joke Sirius was planning on doing. He was very fun to hang out with, once you have no problem with adrenaline rush. James didn't, so he hung out with Sirius all the time._

_They got nearer to the light and they heard the sound of pages of a book being flipped. They got to the last bookshelf. Behind it was the source of the light._

_Sirius took a peek behind the shelf. James followed, leaning against him._

_The light was coming from an illuminated lamp. Beside it was a frail-looking boy with sandy hair. By his size, James could tell that he was probably in their age. The boy was sitting on the floor. Books of different thickness were strewn all over. He was writing on a parchment, copying a text from one of the books. _

_James glanced at the title of the texts. _Wizards and Werewolves, Living Lycanthropy, How to Control Your Inner Animal, Werewolves: be Guilt-free. _All of the titles had something to do with werewolves and since the books were in the Restricted Section, some of the texts could display knowledge on the Dark arts._

_They were too busy observing him that they did not realize that Sirius was losing his balance. They almost fell on the floor if James had not grabbed Sirius on the back of his robes. However, it did not stop James from emitting a small gasp._

_The sandy-haired boy must have heard him for his head whipped on their direction. He quickly took his stack of parchment under one hand and put the light out._

_In an instant, James couldn't see anything. The place was pitch black. He moved, trying to find Sirius in the darkness. He felt someone grab him by the collar._

"_Sirius?" he whispered. _

"_Shh. Don't make a sou--- argh!"_

_James felt Sirius's arm being yanked away from him. He grabbed on his sleeve, fearing that he might lose him in the darkness. He could hear Sirius trying to fight off someone else and he also felt a third body trying to grab him. HE finally felt a tip of a wand touch his head._

"_Oblivi—"_

_Sirius had knocked the boy on the floor before he could finish his spell._

"_James! Run!"_

"_No way!" he cried, trying to think of a solution. The third body was resisting. It was too dark to see anything. He needed light. _

_Light. What was the spell again?_

"_Lumos!" he cried, pointing his wand at nothing in particular. In front of him, he saw Sirius tackling the boy to the ground. By the looks of it, Sirius was winning._

_With the aid of the light, from James, Sirius managed to pin the opponent's hands onto his back with his face on the floor._

"_What's the matter with you?" Sirius hissed at him. "We were only checking out who it was."_

_The boy didn't say anything. James took his wand, which had rolled away after the fight. _

"_Let me go!" he cried, trying to free himself from Sirius's grip. "I won't do anything. Just let me go."_

_James sighed. "Just let him go, Sirius. I have his wand."_

_Sirius reluctantly climbed off of the boy and let go of his hands. The stranger stood up, wringing his hands._

"_I'm sorry for attacking you like that." he said. Against the dim light, he looked sober and more frail than James thought he looked. "I just didn't know what else to do. Sorry."_

_James noticed that he was panting slightly. It was unusual, as their fight did not last very long and Sirius had fully regained his breath already._

"_What's your name?"_

"_Remus Lupin."_

"_House?"_

"_Gryffindor."_

_There was a pause as the two boys let Lupin catch his breath._

"_What are you doing here then?" he asked them._

"_We just got from the kitchens." James answered. "Then that bloody cat came running after us. The door was open so we came in. Then we saw your light. What are you doing here?"_

_Remus did not get the chance to answer his question as the door of the library suddenly opened. They heard the purr of a cat and the sadistic voice of the man with him. James was startled as Remus closed his fist on the illuminated tip of the wand. "Turn it off."_

"_Nox"_

_Darkness came before the caretaker could see their faces. Filch was carrying with him a lamp and it would be only a matter of time before the three would get discovered._

_James felt himself being tugged away from the direction of the caretaker._

"_This way." Remus whispered as he led them into the very edge of the room. James saw that under one arm, he still carried the stack of parchment he had been writing on. _

"_Are you mad?" Sirius whispered frantically at him. "It leads to a wall!"_

_Remus didn't say anything. They reached the end of the room and he began to start feeling the wall with his hands._

"_What are you doing?" James hissed at him. "We're going to get caught!"_

"_Shh! Just trust me."_

_He seemed to have found what he had been looking for as he pushed a portion of the wall. A hidden brick sank into the wall and at the wall adjacent to where they were, a hollow portion opened up._

"_Where are they, my precious cat?" they heard Mr. Filch as he approached them._

_Remus led them to the hole in the wall and climbed into it. The two boys followed._

_James looked back at the library too see Filch's hand appear from behind the shelves. Just as he was about to face them, the wall had reappeared in front of them._

"_Lumos."_

_Sirius had lit his own wand. They were in a dark corridor. It was too dark to see where it led to. Remus was panting against the wall. His stack of parchment had dropped onto the ground. He too collapsed._

"_You okay?" James asked him._

"_Yeah." he said. "Sorry. I easily get tired. I'm not really physically strong."_

"_Contrary to that tackle you gave me earlier?"_

_Remus smiled for the first time. James realized that he may not be such a bad guy. After all, he did save him and Sirius._

_James held out a hand. "James Potter."_

_Remus shook it. Sirius held out his hand too._

"_Sirius Black. We're both in Gryffindor too. Thanks for saving us back there. By the way, what is this place?"  
_

_Remus stood up. "This passageway leads directly to the entrance of Gryffindor Tower." he answered. "Found this one at my first day."_

_Sirius's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Impressive."_

_Remus smiled once again. Then he started to collect his writings from the floor._

_James decided to help him, not noticing the Fracas acceptance letter slip out from his pocket. Remus found it and opened the paper._

"_What's this?" he asked James._

_James turned pale and snatched it from Remus._

_The boy shot him a curious look. "O-kay. No need to obliviate me. Oh that reminds me. You still have my wand."_

_They started to move along the path. Remus led the way with his own illuminated wand, which was returned to him hesitantly. After two minutes of walking through the dusty passageway, they ended up going into a fork road._

"_One of these leads to McGonagall's office." Remus explains. "The other leads to the Fat Lady."_

"_What are we stopping for then?"_

_Remus shot them a mischievous look. "Tell me what the parchment is first before I tell you."_

_James looked angrily at him. How dare he blackmail them? Gone was the notion that he was a nice guy._

"_We can just obliviate you, you know." Sirius told him in a low voice. _

"_As if you know how." Remus said. "Your spell can backfire if not cast correctly."_

_He was right though. Neither of the two knew how to cast a correct memory charm. They had no choice. James sighed._

"_Fine." he said, giving him the letter. Remus read the riddles of the parchment, his brows furrowed._

"_We have absolutely no idea what it is, except that it's an acceptance letter to some kind of society."_

"'_One who carries ivory'… that's an elephant. It makes no sense. Maybe it was supposed to be sent to Taiwan or Africa where there are loads of elephants."_

"_I found them in my Dad's office. It was inside a box with some of his Hogwarts stuff"_

"'_Season of toil'… must be fall, even though I'm not sure if autumn is associated with toil in any way. Hmm."_

_Subconsciously, he went into the right side of the fork road. Apparently, it was the passage towards their house. They walked in silence for a while. Remus still had his eyes on the parchment._

"_That's it!" Remus suddenly cried out of nowhere. His voice echoed in the corridor. It startled James and Sirius._

"_You said that it was your Dad's when he was at Hogwarts right?" Remus asked James. _

"_Er, yeah."_

"_Then season of toil must be the time when exams would be finished. I heard McGonagall mention it to class once. So they must be telling your Dad to come once exams are over."_

_James grabbed the parchment from Remus and looked through it as he spoke. Sirius began to talk as well._

"_Yeah. I remember that too. "Exams are your season of toil. Be sure to do well in them', McGonagall said. Maybe she was a part of this too. Do you think we could ask her?"_

_Remus shrugged. "Maybe. But if they are talking in riddles then this Fracas must be some sort of secret society. She may not tell us anything."_

_They continued to walk, hyped by the newfound information they gained. They walked in silence until Remus broke it once more._

"_By the way," he said casually. "I'm a werewolf."_

(--)

**This is the longest chapter so far (yehey!). I don't really know why I'm so in the mood right now. It's probably because my folks are here in Manila, visiting from Mindanao. I'm so homesick right now, so I guess seeing them made me want to write.**

**Of course, your reviews made me write longer this time. I woke up at 6 AM and had nothing to do since everyone was still asleep so I decided to surf. I now have 25 reviews and hell it made my day!!! Thanks to everyone!**

**Some of my comments for some of my reviewers. if you don't see your name here, it doesn't mean you won't get gummy bears of appreaciation:**

**hermy permy – I would really want them to snog right away too!!! lol. Thanks for that awesome review.**

**but-if-you-could - I'm really trying to update as fast as I can. You see, it's summer here and we're on vacation so I'm trying to get most chappies in by June. Once school starts, I'd be very busy so updates might take longer.**

**aloneBUTunafraid – Your review rocks!!! lol. It's an honor, really. To answer your question, I'm going to attend the University of the Philippines, Diliman -college of architecture. Thanks for the luck… and the review.**

**LazyBoyGilmore – I really love fics in which Lily kicks ass, so I decided that she kicks ass in this fic. Thanks.**

**pheobesapphira – Thanks for that past review. I didn't get the SON at first (spur of the moment brain shutdown). Thanks anyway.**

**To the others not mentioned here, more gummies for you! Thanks for the reviews and hope you liked this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay... I've been kind of slow lately, sorry. I'll talk to you at the end of this chapter.**

**DEAL?**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**

(--)

A very tired Lily dragged herself upstairs into her dorm room. It was already half past one in the morning and her match with Blood Red just finished. Diggory didn't get the chance to beat her, of course. He however, did put up quite a fight and it drained most of her energy. If only Diggory didn't add that unnecessary flourish in attacking her Dragon then he might have had a chance on winning. It was quite funny to see his water buffalo Patronus fall down to the ground after a pirouette- like motion.

Lily chuckled at the memory as she reached the door to her dorm. She carefully opened it, not making a sound.

There were three other girls with them in their dorm room, none of which were trustworthy to Lily. If ever they find out that Lily has been sneaking out at night, rumors would spread all over Hogwarts about her… probably one that involves a broom closet and Frank Longbottom. Gossip never bothered Lily, but it did bother Frank, who disliked attention, so she avoided being caught.

"Evans!"

Lily whipped around to face Alice Prewett sitting up on her bed, opening her hangings and sleepily looking at her.

"Shhh…"

"Where have you been? It's past midnight." Alice whispered.

Lily quietly started to undress. "I just came from the kitchens."

"What were you doing there?"

"Grabbing something to eat."

"Was Longbottom with you?"

Lily sighed. "No."

"Oh."

Lily knew that Alice didn't believe her. The fact that she came in dishelved didn't help either.

Lily crept into her bed, not really caring anymore about gossip. She was dead tired and she still had classes in the morning.

She was dozing off when Prewett's voice woke her up.

"I don't really know what you see in him, you know." Alice told her. "I mean he's smart and all but he's not that great."

Lily groaned. Alice was one of the richest and prettiest girls in Hogwarts. Half the other girls would kill to be accepted by her standards. Lily did not know her well enough to say if she's nice or an ice princess. She did know that the girl was not at all book smart. She barely passes her tests and doesn't care about the upcoming O.W.L.s because she'd inherit her family's money anyway.

Lily fell asleep at last without interruptions, dreaming of dancing water buffalos in leotards.

(--)

"_Don't let your guard down, Lily!" Savio cried against the noise of a crashing wood beam in the abandoned wizarding arena in which they were practicing. Lily dodged the beam and climbed on top of it with her wand still raised. Her concentration did not falter and her Dragon was still steady. It took a lot of effort to focus on the Patronus while dodging large solid objects falling from the room. She was already panting, yet her mentor pushed her._

"_Stop talking to me!" she cried. "I can't focus!"_

_She sent her Dragon flying through the beams and dodged another falling one. It caught the hem of her robes and she couldn't move. _

"_Shite!" she cried, looking down. Her Patronus faltered as the happy memory began to get interrupted by lily's attempt on freeing herself._

_Another beam came falling on top of her once again. Lily quickly took off her robes and dodged it. But the action made her Patronus weak and disappear._

_Savio sighed and repaired the fallen beams. He went up to Lily, who was sitting on the ground, panting. Her legs were spread in front of her and she rested on her elbows. She looked like a wreck and she seemed tired to the point of death._

"_I think that's enough for today." the mentor said._

"_But I didn't even get to finish the 30-minute limit." Lily cried. "How am I suppose to finish the test if I only get to focus under 25 minutes?"_

"_We have all holidays, Lily." Savio said sternly. "You did great for your first week. Most 12 year-olds can't accomplish that. They can't even accomplish a full Patronus."_

"_Yeah, but they're not really rooting for Laedan."_

_Savio handed her a water bottle. She thankfully took it and started drinking._

"_No, they're not." Savio said. "But for a first year to challenge a Laedan is something else. You shouldn't think of being on top when you haven't experienced being at the bottom."_

_Lily closed her eyes. Savio was right. She shouldn't think about Laedan yet. She had to focus on her preliminary matches first._

_She had just finished her entrance test. It was a test personally given by the Laedan himself. It consisted mostly of tests on focus, just as what Savio had been giving her. Her skills in Legilemency, Occlumency, Potions and charms were also tested. After the tests, she went to Savio's home to train some more. Her parents did not mind, thinking that she was with the Longbottoms. _

_She spent most of her time in that abandoned shack training. Savio had ditched his work to go on a "vacation" so he could train her. _

_Her mentor was a former Fracas player. His Patronus was a brown hawk the size of a bear. Lily was astonished to see it at first. But now, she was used to it as her Patronus was more brilliant than that of anyone else. Even the present Laedan was astonished to see the emerald green Dragon emerge from Lily's wand. _

_Her acceptance letter came to her three days after the test. Savio explained to her that her acceptance had to be decided upon by the Laedan and the Fracas Council. The members of the council were considered to be the highest-ranking members of Fracas. There were only six people allowed in it, including the Laedan. Those people were the only ones who were allowed to show their real eye color during matches._

"_Just one more go… please." Lily said pleadingly to her mentor. "I will really break the limit this time. Please."_

_Savio hesitantly said yes. 30 minutes later, Lily became the youngest ever to hold her Patronus under falling beams._

(--)

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sirius half-screamed to James after classes. "I mean, I thought we were going to share everything of importance to each other!"

James sighed guiltily. The four of them were in the farthest side of the Restricted Section of the library, where they first met Remus. They were too far and too enclosed for the librarian to hear. The place had been their very own special place where they plan pranks, full moon escapades, and anything that they didn't want anyone in the common room to overhear.

"I'm sorry, alright." James said as gently as possible. "It's just that I was the only one whom the message was passed to. It means that he wanted to meet me alone."

James had just told them about his recent conversation with the green-eyed stranger and was attacked by an angry interrogation by Sirius. Remus was staring at something through the window, obviously deep in thought. Peter struggled with the last part his Charms essay which was due the next morning.

The two left the scolding to Sirius. They always did whenever James did something wrong--- or stupid. Even though all boys were closely bonded, they knew that Sirius had a special relationship with James. They were almost siblings instead of best friends. Scolding James was Sirius's job, and scolding Sirius was James' job, as they had agreed upon through the years.

"Yes, but why didn't you tell us beforehand?" Sirius snapped. "If something happened to you then at least we would know where you were."

"Fine, I'm sorry already!"

Sirius took a deep breath and sat down on one of the plush couches that the boys had transported to the room back at third year. "Don't let it happen again."

"Yes Mum."

Peter snickered. Remus smiled. Sirius shot them a glare.

"Anyway," Remus said, trying to break the tension. "Now we have some clues about Fracas, right?"

"Actually Moony, we don't. The guy didn't really say anything about themselves."

"Why didn't you ask?" Peter said.

"I was scared out of my wits, Wormtail!" James defended. "I mean, you should've seen how those guys talk, especially that green-eyed one."

Remus frowned. "Green eyes?" he said.

"Yeah. Their leader. Everyone kept bowing at him."

"Wait a minute." Sirius said. "How do you know that it's a guy?"

"Well, everyone keeps on calling him 'Lord'. His voice was pretty masculine. His height seems average for a guy. Why'd you ask?"

"Nothing. I just remembered Evans when you mentioned that he had green eyes. I mean, it is a possibility that Evans could be "the one"."

"It can't be. It was definitely a guy. Besides, can you picture Evans fighting off giant minks and rooster?"

Sirius sighed. "You're right. Well, it's just a theory. There are loads of green-eyed people in Hogwarts."

James looked up. "I remember him saying something about Evans though."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He told me to leave her alone, said she had nothing to do with the Fracas. He mentioned something about 'personal matters'."

"So this guy must care for her in some way." Sirius said.

"You mean fancy her?" Peter asked.

"Not necessarily… why do people always imply that Evans is fanciable?"

"'Fanciable' is not a word, Sirius." Remus corrected. "Besides, everyone is equally "fanciable" in their own way."

"Hypocrite."

Then an expression of dawning came over Remus's face. He looked at James and smiled.

James hated that smile of Remus's. It always meant something. "I think I have an idea."

He was still looking at James in that weird way. James squirmed under his gaze uncomfortably. Whatever Remus's plan was, it involved him. "You always do, Moony." James said nervously.

"What's your plan?" Sirius asked him interestedly.

Remus's sly grin got wider. "Well, we all know that we could use some help in Legilemency for this, right?"

Nods.

"And who do we know who knows Legilemency?"

"Er, can you rephrase that?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "According to the stuff she said back at Potions, Lily Evans seems to know a lot about Legilemency." he started pacing across the room. The three other boys watched him dazedly. "We have to get information from her."

"Er, we can't exactly force her into it." Sirius said. "I mean, she's not exactly stupid enough to just give information like that."

"I know." Remus said. "That's why we have to attract her."

"How're we going to do that?" James said. "I mean, we've practically ignored her for the past five years."

"Correction, you ignored her. We're both prefects."

"So that's solved then! You're friends."

"We're not exactly friends you know… more like acquaintances."

"So if she's not prefect, you'd be ignoring her… just like what we do! You're such a hypocrite, Moony."

"Shut up! Anyway," he stopped pacing and stood directly in front of James. The grin was back again. "We can't do it through friendship… so we'll do it the other way."

"What's the other…" Sirius trailed off as he caught the grin Remus was shooting at James. He grinned too. "Oh."

"I'm sorry," Peter said. "I don't get it."

"Me neither, Pete." James told him as he shifted on his seat.

"You, my friend," Sirius began, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are going to ask Ms. Evans out."

There was a pregnant pause before it hit James' consciousness.

"ARE YOU MAD?"

The three other boys fiercely hushed him. They were still in the library after all, and his comment was not exactly a quiet one.

"Why me?"

"Because none of us here qualify."

"That doesn't make sense! No way. Mr. Prongs disagrees!"

"Mr. Padfoot would like to tell Mr. Prongs that the idea is indeed ingenious because, number one, it was formulated by none other than Mr. Moony; and number two, you are perfect for the job!"

"Mr. Prongs still does not get the logic of this ridiculous idea. He would like to inquire why he is more qualified than the rest of the Marauders."

"Mr. Moony would like to explain that he is a lycanthrope and would not like to take risks of being too close and getting revealed."

"Mr. Wormtail shamefully admits that he's too bad with the opposite sex."

"Mr. Padfoot un-shamefully admits that he's too _good _with the opposite sex."

James gagged at them. "Your excuses do not make sense at all! I mean, who would want to go out with me?"

The three others raised an eyebrow each. It was a very well-known fact that any girl at school (and beyond) would date James in a heartbeat. Sirius was, of course, the official Casanova… since first year. James entered the school without really getting noticed much. Unlike Sirius, who had good looks since he was born, James only acquired his charm during growth** (AN: just like Harry… hehehe)**. Now that he had finally undergone growth spurt and muscular enhancements, he was well- sought after by the female population.

"Just ask her out, mate." Remus said. "Let's see how it would work."

"Don't worry Prongs! Mr. Padfoot is going to teach you the way of charming ladies into eating from the palm of your hand."

(--)

_Three boys were gathered in the Restricted Section for the second time. This time, they were not running away from caretakers or nosy cats. They were poring over ancient texts on lycanthropy and werewolves. _

_The sandy-haired one read for anything that could ease his pain during transformation. He almost did not care how dark or evil the way may be. He couldn't take the pain anymore. He was ashamed of it, of course. It bruised his Gryffindor identity. But no one would understand. If only they knew how painful it was._

_Remus had read that one way to ease his pain was to embrace his Inner Animal. That meant that he had to _love _being a werewolf. It also meant that he had to develop a love for killing, for contaminating, for blood. _

_Remus had decided not to take that path. He refused to be a psychotic killer. He would endure whatever amount of pain it took just to prevent himself from being a murderer._

_The other two boys read for another purpose: Animagi. James found out from a book of his Dad's that werewolf bites had no effect on animals aside from humans. If they could become animagi, they could accompany Remus during the full moon. That way, he won't be lonely, and perhaps he would not be so physically weak._

_The two decided not to tell Remus, for the boy would just protest. They really wanted to help him, and even though they would not admit it, their secondary purpose was just for the fun of it._

_The three read on in silence, occasionally talking to share a small tidbit of information, which Remus would jot down on a parchment._

_The silence was interrupted by a small squeak from the other corner of the room. The boys' heads shot up._

"_What was that?" Remus whispered. _

_Sirius stood up and slowly approached the opposite wall. "It's just a rat."_

_James frowned. Even though no one would believe it, James had read Hogwarts: A History many times to know that rodents did not exist within the castle walls, unless they were kept as pets. His eyes widened._

_He jumped up and ran towards the wall. The rat ran away. He chased it around the Restricted Section. Thankfully, the section was at the moment, locked from the outside. The boys had entered via the passageway so the area was enclosed. The rat went around in circles._

"_What are you doing?" Sirius hissed. Remus just watched James chase the rodent into a shelf. _

"_Rats do not exist in this castle." James said, crouching down to look under the shelf. "The founders made sure of it because rodents used to eat their food supplies away. _Hogwarts: A History_."_

_Remus seemed to get James' point. He ignored Sirius's comment of "you read that?" and helped James catch the rat from underneath._

"_Help us, Sirius." James said. "This is no ordinary rat. It's an Animagus."_

_Sirius, upon hearing him, dove down to the ground and helped them. Even with the three of them, the rat managed to scamper out of the shelf without getting caught. _

"_There it is!"_

"_Catch it!"_

"_It's too fast!"_

"_Maybe if we could trap it aga--- Sirius watch out!"_

_Sirius, being too occupied in trying to chase it, ran into the shelf in front of him. James and Remus let out a sympathetic "Oooh" as he landed on the ground._

"_I'm fine!" Sirius announced, getting up in a comical way. "I'm fine! Where's the rat?"_

_The rat mentioned was cowering on the corner of the wall. James and Remus pointed their wands at it. Sirius followed once he recovered. _

"_Who are you?" James asked the rodent as it sniffed the wall. There was no response._

"_Maybe it's just someone else's rat?" Sirius asked. "We are allowed to bring rats here, aren't we?"_

_Remus picked the rodent up and examined it. "Does Pettigrew of our House have a rat?" he asked._

"_No. He mentioned that his Mum wouldn't let him have pets."_

_Remus neared them and showed them something around the rat's neck. "Then what kind of rat would sport a silver ring around its neck… with the Pettigrew seal engraved on it?"_

_Remus dropped the rat and in an instant, a crying chubby boy had replaced it._

"_I'm – sniff – sorry. Sniff --- I was just --- running away from --- that cat and – we ended up in McGonagall's office --- sniff. I --- don't even know how I got --- into that --- dark corridor --- and I found myself here."_

_The boy continued to cry. Sirius awkwardly patted him on the back. "S'okay, mate." he said cheerfully. "We're not mad at you. Really."_

_James however, could not contain his fascination. He smiled at the crying boy._

"_You're an animagus."_

(--)

Peter peered from behind a tree beside the lake. It was a cloudy autumn day and there were many students lounging on the grounds to relax after a day of classes.

Upon seeing a flash of red hair come out of the castle along with a tall dark-haired boy, Peter signaled to the other three boys who were sitting on the edge of the lake.

"That's your cue, Prongs." Remus told James upon seeing Peter's signal. "Go for it."

"Now remember what I told you." Sirius said. "Keep your cool. If Longbottom does anything to intimidate you or whatever, don't pay attention. If she says no, then---"

"Don't let that put you down. I know Sirius. I can do this." James stood up and adjusted his robes. He started to make his way to the redhead.

"Good luck, mate." he heard Peter say as he passed the tree.

"Thanks."

(--)

"So he didn't really know why he was there?" Frank asked as they were seated upon the stone bench.

"No." Lily answered. "Strange, isn't it? I mean, there are a lot of people who hunt for us for the sake of blackmail or other gainful purposes. Then this… boy comes over and tells us that he doesn't know what to do with us."

There was a companionable silence until Lily saw Frank's face light up and he elbowed her on the sides. He nodded at something behind them.

Lily turned around to see James Potter himself standing behind the stone bench they were sitting on. She thought he looked kind of anxious.

"Can we help you?" she asked.

"Er… can I talk to you?" he asked.

Lily was about to respond when she heard Frank mutter an "I'll see you later" and leave her there with Potter.

They stayed like that for a while, staring at each other until Lily had enough.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" she asked, standing up.

(--)

James glanced at his three friends who were watching a few yards away from behind Lily. They were making gestures which were supposed to encourage him or in Sirius's case, suggest something else. They seemed to have no effect on James whatsoever.

"Er… I was just wondering…" he trailed off.

_What if she says no?_

Then he'd have to try again.

_What if she gets suspicious?_

The he'd have to try again anyway.

James took a deep breath. "Will you go out with me?"

James felt that everything was in slow motion. He held his breath. He could hear his heart beating. He saw his friends lean in to hear her answer more properly. He watched as the girl's eyes widen ever so slightly. He watched as she opened her mouth to reply.

"I'm sorry?"

James fidgeted. "Will you go out with me? Like… on a date."

Lily narrowed her eyes and moved her head sideways. She grinned. "Is this some kind of a joke?"

James shook his head. "No! NO! Of course it's not! I mean… it's just that I, er, think it would be nice to get to know you, and, er, you know."

James saw Sirius roll his eyes. Peter sent him a weak smile. Remus slapped his hand on his forehead.

Lily's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Potter." she said. "But I'm not really interested in going out with anyone right now."

James was frozen. She said no. He stood there staring at her for a whole three secons until Sirius's wild hand gestures woke him up.

"er, may I ask why?"

Lily sighed. "Schoolwork."

James' mouth formed an 'o'. An awkward silence passed. Sirius was making that hand gesture again. Was there something he had to remember?

_When she says no, leave a warning that you'll be trying again. Just make the warning as discreet as possible, like you're giving her a hint._

"Er, I will try again though."

Lily's brows rose up. His three friends looked like they were about to faint, especially Sirius, who had to lean against a tree.

"Er… okay?" Lily said slowly in a confused way. She picked up her things from the bench. "I'll see you around Potter."

James watched her leave, her red hair bouncing behind her. "Oh and by the way," she called, looking back at him. "Your friends make a really good support group!"

(--)

**. I know I made Peter gain credits for being an animagus first (please don't kill me), but he HAS to have something in him right? I mean, the Marauders are GLORIOUS PEOPLE… and as much as I hate to say it, Peter has to have glory too, so you see, I didn't have a choice.**

**So there you have it! LJ action… though not a very fluffy one. For y'all hopeless ppl, fluff will come soon. This is my attempt on a humorous chapter. If you don't find it funny, please tell me, because I'd be working harder on it. As I've said, all criticisms are welcome. Thanks!!!**

**Also, I apologize for the "late" update. Life happened. **


	6. Chapter 6

**It's my BIRTHDAY!!! So to celebrate this oh so glorious occasion, I'm gonna update. I'm also giving away cake and **_**lechon **_**(roasted pig… a whole one cooked alive… hehe) and **_**chopsuey **_**for those vegetarian reviewers: special mention k9cat. **

**Greet me in the reviews.**

**DEAL?**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**

**ENJOY.**

"He asked you out?" Frank asked Lily as they practiced on their Silencing Charms. "James Potter actually asked you out?"

If it were not for the very loud noise that their practice Ravens were making, Lily would have hushed him. "Yes Frank, he did. _Silencio!"_

Her raven kept on squawking, yet it produced no sound at all. Lily smiled at her job well done.

"Wow." Frank said. "I always thought his type was the more… more…"

"More what?" Lily asked sternly.

"More… feminine."

"Are you telling me that I'm a tomboy?"

Frank flinched at her tone. His very loud raven did not help either. "No Lily, of course not. _Silencio!" _nothing happened. "What I'm saying is that I've always thought that he'd be more into girls who, er, take time with their appearance. Just like…" he scanned the room. "Alice Prewett. What's the hand movement again?"

"Flick your wrist once. Look, I have no idea why he did that. Don't you think it's suspicious? The Dragon had already told him not to involve me in anything. The next day, he asks me out. I think he's up to something."

"I think he just likes you. _Silencio!" _his raven had finally stopped making a sound. He turned to Lily. "Why did you say no, anyway?"

"Are you mad? It was probably a hoax of some kind. If it's not, then it's just some lame dare."

"Now what made you say that?"

"His friends were behind me, making some weird stuff with their hands. It was rather funny."

"Did I just hear Lily Evans brand something as 'humorous'?"

"Everyone has a sense of humor, Frank."

"Yes and yours is the sadistic type."

Lily smacked his arm.

"Ow! See? Anyway, there is still that slight possibility that he likes you."

Lily looked at him. "Why are you pushing that idea?"

"Remember the time when we were in first year and we were going into the platform and ---"

"I do NOT want to remember, Frank."

"Well, he has been staring at you since the start of the period."

Lily turned around to find that Potter was indeed looking their way. The boy turned away from her gaze and started talking to Black.

"I really want to go into their thoughts." Lily said.

"You can't, Lils. It's against magical ethics."

"I know that."

(--)

"DIDN'T I TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT SUBTLETY???" Sirius's voice echoed through the Restricted Section. The three other boys watched him pace the ground in front of James for what seemed like a millionth time. Peter was starting to get dizzy.

"Well, what's done is done." Remus said, trying to break the tension early. "Don't worry Padfoot. James is not a hopeless cause. Right Pete?"

"Er… right."

"I'm really sorry." James said. "It's just that I've never done anything like this before. I mean, I suck at girls."

"True." Remus folded his arms in front of him and leaned on the wall opposite James. "But you see, any girl in Hogwarts would like to go out with you. How many offers did you get last time your Dad hosted a winter ball?"

"I dunno. Lost count."

"See?"

"But if that is true, why did Evans refuse him?"

"Good point. Pete." Sirius said. "What Remus said was true, but Evans is a smart girl. She must've thought that if James really does fancy her, he should've shown it before. I mean, when was the first time you've met?"

Much to the other boys' surprise, James turned beet red and looked away.

"I see." Remus said thoughtfully, that maniacal grin appearing once more. "He must have _some _history with the girl then."

(--)

_It was the first day of school for Lily Evans and she was confused beyond death. Her letter told her to go to a certain Platform 9 ¾, which didn't exist. Her parents had dropped her off in King's Cross, thinking that their daughter can find her own way._

I'm eleven years old, _Lily thought. _I can do this.

_On the contrary, she felt confused, lonely and scared. How can she get into the Platform? What if she misses the train?_

_Lily looked around, trying to find some sort of clue. Her gaze fell upon a matronly woman wearing what seemed to be a green dress and a hat with a hideous stuffed vulture on top. People around were staring at her, much to the discomfort of the boy holding her hand._

_She watched as the weird duo stop in front of the wall between platforms 9 and 10. The woman seemed to have found a friend, another matronly woman who seemed to be older than she was. _

_The boy started looking around and then he caught her looking at them. Lily did not divert her gaze and offered a small smile instead. The boy smiled back._

Ask them? _Lily thought. It would be the fifth time if she did. The other people she asked, including a conductor, merely shoved her away, thinking that she was pulling her leg. However, Lily felt that it was alright to ask these people, so she approached them, pushing her trolley in front of her._

"_Excuse me." she meekly said to the woman with the hat. _

"_Ah. What is it dear?"_

"_Er, do you know where to find Platform 9 ¾?"_

_The woman smiled at her. "Oh, a muggleborn."_

"_Sorry?"_

"_Your parents are muggles right, non-magical folk?"_

"_Er, yes."_

"_Well, come then. We were just about to go in. Good day, Mrs. Potter, I'll see you back at the hospital. Frank! Do you have your things?''_

"_Yes Mum." The boy said._

"_Very well then. Go first so we could show Ms…"_

"_Evans. Lily Evans."_

"…_Ms. Lily Evans the way to the Platform. Go on."_

_Frank nodded and pushed his trolley into the wall between the two platforms. _

"_He's gone!" Lily gasped._

"_Aye. He's in the platform already. Now it's your turn, Lily. I'll come after you to make sure that you go in, alright?"_

"_Thank you, Mrs…"_

"_Longbottom. Agusta Longbottom."_

_Lily went through the barrier to see a magnificent train with Hogwarts Express imprinted on it in gold letters. People in both muggle and wiarding clothes moved around the place. Children from 11 to 17 years old were already boarding into the train._

"_Hullo." the boy with Mrs. Longbottom greeted upon seeing her. "I'm Frank Longbottom."_

"_Lily. Lily Evans."_

_They shook hands. "So you're muggleborn?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Cool. Are you alone? Where are your parents?"_

"_They had to be somewhere else."_

_Frank seemed to see the slightly forlorn look on her face. "Oh."_

_At that moment, another trolley of an older boy had barged into Lily's resulting to a very audible crash._

"_Oy!" a boy with messy black hair and spectacled brown eyes cried from behind the trolley. "Don't stay in front of the barrier!"_

"_Sorry." Lily murmured as she and Frank crouched down to collect her trunk, which had fallen off the cart._

_The boy blushed and muttered a word of forgiveness before picking his own trunk up. Once the two parties had arranged their belongings, the boy hurriedly went away towards the train._

_Lily watched his retreating back. "What was that about?"_

_She turned to Frank to find that he too was beet red._

"_Er… well, I think we both caught a glimpse of your, er, you know, when you crouched."_

_Lily realized what he was talking about and immediately blushed too. An awkward silence followed and it was thankfully broken as Agusta Longbottom arrived through the barrier._

"_I am so sorry for the delay, m'dears." she said as she rushed to them. "Mrs. Potter came back asking about that prescription I gave her husband on whatever sickness old age gives. Are you cold? Why are your faces so red?" _

(--)

"Welcome everyone to the twelfth meeting of The Most Humble Beholders of the Grand Patronuses!"

The crowd of hooded figures applauded merrily. It had been a while since the council had called a meeting. It was rumored that they had been discovered. There were fears of the Fracas disbanding temporarily just because they were found. The call for a match night was a relief to all of its members.

Lily clapped silently among the others. She called a match night to placate everyone's worries. She did not want anyone to think that there was a threat. For many, the Fracas was the only place where they can feel glory. She knew, for she was one of them. Besides, James Potter did not seem like a very big threat.

Right?

"The first match is between Blood Red and Aves!" the orange-eyed announcer cried from the rostrum. Two figures appeared on the arena. One had wine-colored eyes, while the other had clear blue ones.

"As we have all witnessed, Blood Red had challenged our Lord, the Dragon, on our last match. It is not the first time that he had challenged someone from the council. Will this one pull through, or be just another attempt?"

Lily smiled behind her mask. The blue-eyed figure was none other than Claudia Watson. Her love interest was Diggory himself. It was funny how Amos had always ignored her in real life, yet targeted her inside the Fracas. If only Diggory knew.

_Will you go out with me?_

Lily shook her head slightly. It wasn't the time to think about that right now.

Lily watched the stats show in the smoke screen.

"Let us now start the match!"

The speaker blew his whistle and the two released Patronuses. One was a red bull which let out a wail and tossed its head. The other was a bright blue falcon. To Lily, the falcon looked cooler, as it maintained its calm stance before the match. It did not make any pre-match actions.

The bull charged first, aiming its horns at the bird. The falcon did not move. Lily thought that perhaps Claudia found out that she was fighting Diggory and decided to let him win. Then an unexpected thing happened.

As fast as lightning, the falcon had spread its wings. It let out its sharp talons and grabbed the bull by the horns.

"What an amazing move!" the speaker cried. "This is certainly something new! Aves is holding Blood Red by the horns! It seems like he's trying to push the opponent away!"

He was right, as the falcon began to advance and the bull slowly moved backwards due to the force. The falcon flapped its wings even harder, making the bull back up faster.

"This is certainly holding Blood Red Back. But what's this? The bull is pushing harder. He's finally advancing!"

Reddish smoke pumped out of the bull's nose as it forcefully pushed the bird away. The falcon flapped its wings harder until it gained control once again.

The game reached its climax as the bird let go of the bull and in lightning speed. The bull did not expect this move, making it advance very quickly into the arena wall. In a puff of red smoke, it vanished.

The audience applauded generously.

"Spectacular fight! Tonight's winner… Aves!" the speaker exclaimed.

Lily smiled and joined the applause. Diggory was stronger, yet Claudia was smarter. In a way, the tow each had something that the other lacked.

Lily shook her head. Was she matchmaking inside the arena? She smiled at the thought.

Based on his past actions, James Potter seemed to love all the attention he got. Since first year, he, along with his friends, always made it a point to ingeniously let people know that it was them who played the pranks, made the jokes and lived to tell the tale; and they did it all without getting caught. They had formed a group called the Marauders. Most of the students knew who the Marauders were, probably except for the Slytherins and the teachers (except Dumbledore).

Lily on the other hand, loathed being on the spotlight. She preferred excelling in activities in which she enjoyed; but she hated having to bear expectations. That was why she loved the Fracas. She was on top out of a few forty-something members, but no one knew who she was.

She and James Potter had nothing in common, except for their brains.

_Just like Claudia and Diggory?_

Lily mentally slapped herself. Why was she thinking about that anyway?

Her thoughts were interrupted as the speaker was calling her to the rostrum to announce their dismissal. She would just have to talk to Potter about it… as the Dragon of course. She would tell him to leave her alone again, even though she partly knew that he won't listen anyway.

She decided to shoo him away. All she had to do was send him a mentally-made message and meet him the next night.

Her plan, however, was made in advance as she felt the boy's mind wandering outside the painting once the members were disbanding.

(--)

James crouched underneath the invisibility cloak for three whole hours. He had no idea when those people would come out. Perhaps there was no match for that night?

James let out a small sigh of relief when the painting ascended slowly to reveal forty or more hooded figures, each with a corresponding eye color. He waited until only two were left behind.

"I sense him, milord." the orange-eyed one told the Laedan. James panicked. He could not risk being spotted by any other Fracas member except the Laedan.

He stood up and began to start making his way to the common room until the Laedan spoke.

"It's alright, Potter." he said. "Elamon here is the confidante of all members of this game."

James slowly turned and took off his invisibility cloak.

"What is your business here?" the green-eyed master asked him.

"Er, well, it's about Evans."

"Ah yes. I've heard of your… interaction earlier this week. Rumors are viciously flying around the school. Aren't they, Elamon?"

"Yes they have, milord. Different versions of them."

James was confused, even though the fact about the rumors scared him a little. "You-you're not mad?"

"Why should I be?"

"Er, because I did not leave her alone, like you told me to."

The Laedan huffed. "People in Fracas respect the freedom of each person to express feelings. Besides," the leader leaned on the wall beside him and began to twirl his wand in his hand, making it produce alarming sparks. "Why would I get mad … if the lady in question refused you anyway?"

James gulped as the wand began to twirl faster.

"Er, okay then." he said. "I just wanted to, er, I dunno, ask your permission or something. You know… to keep asking Evans out."

(--)

Lily looked at him warily. Her original plan was being questioned in her head. Should she proceed to tell him bugger off? What would happen if she ever gave him permission? She stopped twirling her wand and sighed.

"She's not my property, Potter." she told him. "If you really like a girl, don't treat her like an object. And at least call her by first name."

She ignored the speaker's raised eyebrow from the corner of her eye. James grinned cheekily.

"Giving me girl advice?"

Lily sighed once more and pointed her wand at him. "You have ten seconds to depart, Potter."

"But I was wondering if---"

"Ten, nine, eight..."

"Merlin! Alright already!"

He dashed away through the corridor, his cloak flapping behind him. Lily watched him and lowered her wand, once she couldn't feel him anymore. Then she faced her other companion whose eyes glinted with smugness.

"What?"

"You like him."

"I do not. Shut up, Longbottom."

(--)

**Er… sorry about some confusing name and spelling mistakes. I've just corrected them.**

**I've also changed my penname from I-so-totally-rock to eatOthis.**

**Ah, denial. Don't worry. He'll be asking her out again later.**

**Just so you know, the style of writing in which there are flashbacks sneaking up to the present time is not really originally by me.**

**You see, I was riding on a plane from Gen. Santos City to Manila when the plot bunnies came and I was reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. It's a good book. Then I saw that he incorporated flashbacks into the story, so I decided to go for it. I didn't realize it would be this fun to write flashbacks.**

**So Lily shows a hint of liking for James… hmmm?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay… your reviews really did help me… a lot. You see, I was having a bad day and when I read them, I felt so happy again (tear).**

**Anyway, this one took a long time to write (obviously) because there were so many interruptions, and because I keep on changing plots in my brain. I'm trying to think of a way to incorporate Snape's worst memo here. So brace yourselves.**

**DEAL?**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**

**(--)**

The rest of the week was a nightmare gone real for Lily. It wasn't the schoolwork, the teachers, the prefect duties, etc. It was the constant pestering of a certain Marauder for her to go out with him.

The day after she met with him as the Dragon, she woke up groggily to find out that the dorm she stayed in was draped in pink and red from top to bottom. On a fairly blank (pink) wall, were the words "_Will you go out with me… pwetty please! – JP"_

Her roommates were quite astonished over the whole thing, thinking that the note was for one of them. Their limited brainpower led them to tracing at least thirty JPs in Hogwarts. Lily, on the other hand, was not as stupid.

She didn't tell anyone but Frank about Potter's proposal for them to go dating. She planned to keep it silent, even though she knew that Potter didn't.

Her thoughts were proven true when one day at lunch, a whole bunch of boys from different houses (including Slytherin), gathered around her in front of everyone and started serenading her with dramatic gestures.

"_Oh lovely fair maiden!"_

"_The Queen of the grass,"_

"_The flower of my soul…"_

"_In my heart you shall last!"_

After the song (which went for twenty minutes) they danced around the Great Hall, providing entertainment for the students, fury for the teachers, and detentions for themselves.

In the end, Lily found out that they were blackmailed by none other than James Potter himself. He was waiting for her on her way to the next class.

"Lily Flower!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Aww, but it fits you!"

Lily sighed and faced him. "What do you want, Potter?"

"I want you to come with me on our next trip to Hogsmeade. Savvy?"

"Er, no."

"Come on, Lily, why not?"

At this point, she found that people were staring at them and whispering at each other as they came through the corridor.

"Because I don't like you!" Lily answered softly. "I don't even know you!"

"We first met in front of the barrier, remember? You know, the one who saw your---"

"Quit it, Potter!" she hissed, trying not to get attention in vain. "I don't know what you're really up to but please just stop it. Okay?"

Potter, however, wasn't planning on stopping at all. A few days after that, Lily was in the library, finishing a Potions essay. When the clock struck ten, all the text in her books disappeared.

Lily was confused as all the other books in the library became blank. The answer came upon her, only when the books bore the same words:

_Go out with me Evans?_

Lily cried out an ear-piercing "NO!" She was kicked out of the library by Madam Pince and was doomed to finish her essay with very few references.

When the week passed, Potter seemed to have realized that she was not going to succumb to any of his bizarre plans. So he began to pester her… personally.

Lily and Frank were walking to Defense when the Marauders caught up to them.

"Will you stop eating those?" Lily told Frank as he chewed on a leaf.

"It's mint Lily. It's quite refreshing." then an amused expression appeared across his face.

Lily didn't realize that the Marauders were even there until Potter swept her books from under her arm.

"I'll take that, love."

"Give it here, Potter." she said through clenched teeth.

"No way. I'll carry them for you, just like what a gentleman would do, right Frank?"

Frank narrowed his eyes and cocked a brow. "I don't treat her like a lady."

"Why not? Lily Flower here is definitely a charming, lovely, sweet, sensitive, demure young lady."

Frank coughed violently on the mint he was chewing and Sirius had to pat him on the back.

(--)

James sighed once he had dropped off Lily on her seat. He smiled at her. She grimaced.

Once his back was turned, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

_Honestly, that girl is being so difficult!_

Getting her to go out with him was much harder than he expected. James was starting to get irritated. It wasn't easy wooing a girl as he had never done it before. Sirius had merely told him to gain attention first. He tried his best by doing what he thought would make a girl feel flattered. It was just that his ideas were not exactly the best, even he had to admit it himself.

"Are you absolutely sure you know what you're doing?" Remus asked James as they sat down for Defense. Sirius and Peter had to sit at the front as punishment for having a spitball fight in their last class. "You don't seem to be attracting her."

"Well how am I supposed to attract her without getting her attention first?"

"You have to act sincere. She's a girl, mate. Sensitivity is the key."

Remus had been constantly reminding him about his "sensitivity". He didn't really get it. How can he be sensitive to a girl's _feelings_? Boys--- Men just don't do that. James felt like a kid whenever his friend did that, and it bugged him even more.

"You just have to talk to her smoothly." Remus continued. "You know, take her somewhere private and tell her how you feel."

"If you're such an expert, why don't _you _ask her out?" James hissed. Remus sighed.

"You know why I can't date anyone James."

"Oh, it's because of your _furry little problem_? Right. It's because you could just bite her head off and be guilt-free the next morning."

Remus stared at him, a hurt expression gracing his face. James realized what he just said and let out an apologetic sigh.

"Remus-"

"I'm changing seats."

(--)

_It was cold, damp, and scary. The Shrieking Shack creak five times more than it usually did at the weight of its lone occupant for the night._

_The werewolf howled before scratching himself for the umpteenth time. He was hungry, longing for blood. He wanted to bite something--- someone, yet there was no one there._

_He was alone._

_He bit his own arm to substitute the flesh he wanted. It was painful, of course, but he was used to it. He knew that he was in a sad situation. The human inside him was begging to be released, was crying for him to stop. Yet during those nights, animal instinct takes over human reason._

_Suddenly, the wolf jerked his head. What was that smell? It was flesh, yet not human. However, the scent was very familiar._

_A huge shaggy black dog appeared from nowhere and attacked him from behind. The wolf fell back in surprise, but he attacked back, scratching and biting the dog._

_Once the wolf finally pinned the dog to the ground with its paws, he felt a sharp stab on his back. He turned to find an antler poking his back. It was a magnificent-looking stag which seemed fierce in its own way._

_The three played with each other for hours until the wee hours of morning. The wolf, now matter how confused he was, was having fun._

_He had not realized that they were already out of the shack until he felt his human side taking over. He howled at the pain of transformation. The dog and stag stopped fighting watched him. Horror and sympathy could be seen in their animal faces._

_The wolf howled and howled. As the seconds ticked away, the wails became more like human shouts._

_About half an hour later, 13 year-old Remus Lupin's naked body was curled on the ground. He was sweating and panting heavily. He closed his eyes, trying to remember what had happened. He remembered biting._

_Did he hurt someone?_

_What would he do if he did?_

_Would he get expelled?_

"_You okay, mate?" another boy's voice asked him._

_He felt himself being wrapped up in a cloak. He looked up to see the face of his nighttime companions against the rising sun._

"_Let's get you cleaned up. Peter has gone back to get your clothes."_

_He felt himself being hoisted up by two boys at his age. _

_What happened the night before was exhilarating. The pain of transforming back didn't even feel so bad anymore. By the smiles of his two friends, he knew that he would never be alone anymore… at least not for a very long time._

(--)

"Evans!!!"

Lily rubbed her eyes tiredly and yawned. It was Saturday for Merlin's sake!

"Evans!" a girl's voice cried. In a second, her hangings were pulled apart, letting sunlight pass through. Lily squinted and groaned.

"What's your problem, Prewett?" she asked her grumpily as she fell back into the bed.

"Is it true?" she cried, leaning over on the bed. The three other roommates watched from behind her. "James Potter asked you out?"

Lily groaned once more and rolled her eyes.

"It's true then?" Emily Brown asked from behind.

Lily sighed. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but it's a weekend and I'd rather get my rest. I am really not in the mood for this."

Alice huffed. "Bitch."

Lily lost her temper. She was not a morning person, and being called a bitch wasn't really her cup of tea. On top of that, it was her time of the month.

"LOOK HERE, PREWETT! POTTER ASKED ME OUT, AND I, BEING THE BIG STUPID GEEK THAT I AM, DECLINED, OKAY! HAPPY NOW?"

The three were slightly taken aback. Alice blinked once. "So, it's true?"

Lily gagged. "Of course it's true, you ditz!" She grabbed her hangings, closed it and set a privacy charm on it. She felt a little guilty upon calling her a ditz, but Prewett did call her a bitch, so they were even. Besides, it was 8 o'clock in the friekin' Saturday morning.

She couldn't sleep anymore, because the insult thrown at her woke her up like a slap on the face. She groaned and stretched. She could already tell that she woke up on the bad side of the bed.

(--)

Frank climbed down to the Great Hall to find an unexpected scene before him. Several girls were wailing in their respective tables.

"Wow, James." another boy's voice said from behind him. He turned to see the Marauders, minus Lupin, arrive from behind him. "It seems like their having a funeral for your bachelorhood."

James rolled his eyes and proceeded down across the room to the entrance. Frank smiled at his attempt to ignore the girls looking at him.

The Marauders shared the same look.

"Poor James." Peter said, following after him.

"I agree." Sirius said. He turned to Frank. "How does Lily find all these?"

"She's not very happy with the attention."

"Well, tell her to prepare. James isn't going to quit that easily."

Frank looked at him. "Does James really like her?"

Sirius just smiled. "Why don't you just see for yourself."

Frank stared after him as he went out of the room. So they're definitely planning something. If Lily wasn't careful, she could get hurt.

Frank sighed and went over to the entrance. He blocked out the wails and sobs from Potter's die-hard fans as he sat down to have breakfast.

That week was Quidditch week. Gryffindor would be playing Hufflepuff. He saw the Gryffindor team head out to the Quidditch pitch to practice and wondered if his house's team had ever practiced already. The Gryffindor captain, Ananias Wood, was said to be a slave driver.

"Eggs."

Frank jumped in his seat to find Lily sitting beside him. He was scared even more by the dark circles around her eyes and the very eerie aura surrounding her.

"What's wrong with you?"

"EGGS!"

He backed off and handed her the plate of scrambled eggs on his side of the table.

He watched as Lily stabbed her food with her fork. Frank knew that something bothered her, but her current psychotic state and sadistic tendencies told him to back off for a while until she cooled down.

"So it's Quidditch today." he said conversationally, trying to break the mood. "It's my house against yours." He hoped that it would work. Lily loved Quidditch.

Lily clutched her fork dangerously. "Are you trying to put up a fight?"

Frank's eyes widened, but he remained in his seat. Lily would not really hurt him.

Right?

"No! I was just trying to remind you---"

"So you think I'm forgetful?"

Frank was about to defend himself when a very audible "Bitch" was heard from the Gryffindor table.

Lily's head snapped to that direction and Alice Prewett quickly buried her face in a copy of Witch Weekly.

Lily stood up. "Wow, Prewett!" she cried, enough for everyone in the hall to hear. "You could actually read!"

Frank took Lily's arm and pulled her out of her seat and yanked her out of the Hall. Whispers sounded across the Hall as they got out of there.

"What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you?" Frank cried once they were already in the grounds beside the Quidditch Pitch.

"She called me a bitch, Frank!"

"People in the 'underground' call you that behind your back all the time. You know that! You usually brush it aside! What's wrong with you?"

(--)

The Gryffindor Quidditch team was mounting already until they heard noises coming from behind the stadium.

"It seem like someone's fighting." James said. "Should we check it out?"

A string of profanity echoed through the pitch.

Ananias Wood sighed. "Fine. Potter, Black, you check it out. Everyone else, mount your brooms!"

James and Sirius dropped their brooms and dashed to the stands. They finally reached the back of the pitch, where they found a redhead and her best friend arguing very loudly…with wands out.

"Whoa!" Sirius cried as he dodged a jet of red sparks.

"Hey!" James cried at the two. "Stop that!"

"_Stupefy!"_

It hit Sirius. James got his wand out.

"_Ennervate! _Will you two just stop!"

Frank and Lily didn't hear him. For once in his life, James wished that there was a teacher around.

James had put out a shield around the two of them.

"I'll go call a teacher." Sirius said, dashing off towards the castle.

"Hurry!" James cried as his shield deflected a few spells.

He watched the fight. Lily and Frank were letting out some difficult spells, a few of which he had never heard of. Most of which, didn't know were possible to cast for fifteen year-olds.

The dialogue, too, was quite impressive.

"YOU'RE JUST FULL OF SHITTY PRIDE, LILY!"

"OH, I'M FULL OF IT? LOOK WHO'S FLINGING HEXES, YOU HYPOCRITE SON OF A ---"

"THAT'S JUST BECAUSE YOU REFUSE TO TALK! WHAT YOU DID EARLIER WAS VERY FUCKING IMMATURE!"

"WHAT? CALL PREWETT A BIMBO? WELL OPEN YOUR EYES FRANK! SHE REALLY IS!"

"EVERYBODY'S GOT FLAWS, LILY! AND YOURS IS THAT STUPID PRIDE OF YOURS! YOU WON'T EVEN GO OUT WITH POTTER!"

"OH-HO! SO YOU'RE BRINGING THAT UP NOW? WELL POTTER'S A JOKE WHO CARES ABOUT ANYTHING BUT NOTHING AND YOU KNOW IT."

When James heard that, he too seemed to want to throw a hex at her. He wanted to tell her to piss off, and show her what he's really made of. Even though he was convinced that he didn't really feel anything for her, her words ached.

Suddenly, James saw a dark figure from behind the stands. It pointed a wand at Lily's back and in lightning speed, it disappeared.

Lily shrieked and Frank froze. There was a large gash on her back. Blood spilled from behind her.

"Lily!" Frank cried and ran up to her. The girl fell down on all fours, moaning in pain.

James ran towards the back of the stands to find no one there. Then, he made his way to Lily, who was unconscious in Frank's arms.

"What was that spell?" James asked Frank.

"I don't know. We better get help. _Episkey!"_

"Sirius is off to find a teacher."

"What is this wound?" Frank asked to himself. "It won't stop bleeding, not even by magic."

At that moment, Sirius came along with Professor McGonagall, whose stern expression turned to horror upon seeing her student's body.

All James could do was watch as Evans's body was levitated up to the castle. Frank was told to follow and he and Sirius were ordered to go back to practice.

As James flew later that day, he couldn't concentrate.

_WELL POTTER'S A JOKE WHO CARES ABOUT ANYTHING BUT NOTHING AND YOU KNOW IT._

So that was how Lily thought of him. Well, he'd just have to double his efforts then.

(--)

**Seamonkey – thanks a million… you're review ROCKS!**

**SweetSothernGal – hehehe… that's fine, no hard feelings. Can you point out which tenses I went wrong, though? If ever there are some mistakes, it's probably because I type my stories directly. I don't have a beta reader (which explains my usually quick updates) and neither do I plan on having one. I'm just writing for fun and, so I don't really pay attention to what realistic or not. Plus, my fast updates earn me great, awesome, loving REVIEWERS (hint hint).**

**k9cat – You're very welcome, m'dear.**

_**insert forgotten pennames here – **_**okay, this one is for my sister and cousin(who reviewed unashamedly). You've got to forget this is me writing, cuz this would be so unlike me when I get to the sappy part (yup, it's just around the corner)… amen? Good. **

**Hello.I'mMarySue **– **You've been searching for this fic? AWESOME!!! Where did you hear about it?**

**shurberry **- … **Summary says LJ right? (wink)**

**Roki – Thanks. Elamon is just a few syllables put together… kind of last minute.**

**Estrelas – thanks! PS My sister's in Nursing too.**

**To the rest, I still looooove you all! Til the next update (which I hope will come sooner).**


	8. Chapter 8

**To all those who know me in real life, aka Ate Cathy, Tracey and Daia (and if ever, my BABY brother), FORGET THIS IS ME WRITING!!!**

**The ones who read the author's notes might know what I'm talking about.**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**

**ENJOY!**

(--)

_It was the end of that year's season of toil. Lily carefully walked down the dark corridor in front of the portrait. She was walking briskly, as her assigned time to change was ticking away._

_In Fracas, you don't know who's who unless you're the Laedan or the announcer. To prevent the members from finding out who their fellow members are, they are given assigned time to get out of their dorms, don their cloaks and change eye colors._

_Lily activated her Legilemency to find that there were no minds present around. She conjured up her cloak, changed her eye from green to beryl-colored. After that, she began to walk more slowly, as the risk of being found out was gone._

_She reached the painting and went inside. That night was an important night for her. She had been challenged for the first time. By the looks of it, the one who challenged her was an upperclassman. She smiled behind her mask. This was going to be fun._

_Word that there was a Dragon Patronus in the Fracas got around the underground arena quickly. In her first match, Lily had lost. It was quite a disappointment for the Fracas, as having a Dragon for a Patronus was unheard of, and they wanted to know how powerful she was._

_After that match, no one challenged her again. It was probably because they thought she was weak. That night, however, Lily was out to prove them wrong._

_She had been training for that night, coming to the arena unnoticed during free nights and practicing on her own. She really hoped that she would be able to win this time._

"_Our match for tonight is between the Dragon and Coral!" the announcer cried from behind the rostrum. Lily took her place at the left side of the arena. Her yellow-eyed opponent graced the other side._

"_As you all know, the winner of this match will determine the next match. Coral had challenged the Dragon as she won the last match against Doroway."_

_Lily looked around the arena. The other hooded figures were staring at them expectantly. Lily felt nervous and uncomfortable under their gazes. She took a deep breath._

"_Players ready? We shall start then. Wands out!"_

_Lily took out her wand and raised it, as if on a duel. The whistle sounded._

_Lily concentrated on a happy memory: her last birthday party celebrated at home… the first one her parents went to._

"_Expecto Patronum!"_

_Her Dragon came out. Jason had taught her to charm it into a beryl color, so that it would follow the Fracas code. The other side let out a yellow-colored sting ray. It was just as huge as her Dragon, and its sting bore three dangerous-looking blades._

_The ray seemed like it wasn't going to attack soon, so Lily took the opportunity. Jason taught her that being on the defense first didn't guarantee sure win, even though most players prefer attacking last. There wouldn't be much difference anyway when they get to the middle of the match._

_Her Dragon clawed violently at the ray. It dodged the attack smoothly. Lily tried whipping the tail at the opponent. The ray dodged it again._

Come on! _Lily thought as the ray avoided attack after attack. Its movements were so soft and fluid that it could easily get out of the way._

"_Coral has an amazing ability to dodge attacks!" the announcer said. "But how long will this keep up?"_

_After a few more minutes of attacking, Lily realized that she was exhausted. _

How could I be so stupid, _she thought. _That's just a basic strategy! Why didn't I see it?

_She told herself not to panic. She lost her last match because she did. She didn't want to repeat the same mistake._

_She made her Dragon stop attacking, and just waited. She closed her mind, trying to ease her mind. She was mentally tired already. Her eyes hurt a little, which was not good. If she drained her energy, her true eye color might show._

"_What's this? The Dragon has finally stopped its assaults. What would the ray do now?"_

_Lily opened her eyes just in time to see that Coral had her sting ready to whip her Dragon. She dodged it on time, and managed to bite the sting by the Dragon's teeth._

_She bit at the part closest to the body, where there were no blades at all. A whale-like sound came out from the ray. It was wailing in pain._

"_Incredible! The Dragon has the ray by the sting!"_

_Lily had her Dragon resist the wild thrashing of the ray. It was hard. Coral was very stong, but Lily knew that this time, she had to be the winning side._

_She made her Dragon flap its wings, still clutching the ray by the mouth. Then her Dragon shifted its weight on the ray, ruthlessly sitting on it. Coral was desperately trying to free itself. The blades of its sting almost hit the Dragon's face. _

"_Ooh! That was a close one! But the Dragon definitely has the upper hand of this match. How long will Coral last?"_

_As if on cue, the sting ray disappeared in a puff of smoke. _

"_Yes!" Lily cried as her Dragon let out a proud roar __**(A/N: Do dragons roar or shriek or… what?)**_

"_The winner of tonight's match is none other than The Dragon!"_

(--)

Lily woke up groggily to the sight of the white ceiling of the infirmary. She tried to remember what happened: the insult from Aice, the duel with Frank, the rebellious wound…

She gasped as she felt a painful sensation on her back. She let out a small wail. She couldn't sit up.

"You're magically bound to the bed, my dear." Madam Pomfrey said, emerging through her bed's hangings, carrying what seemed to be a small cauldron of something Lily couldn't place. "You shouldn't move or else your wound will reopen. It wouldn't close magically and the bleeding wouldn't stop, so we had to sew it the muggle way."

Lily tried to talk, but only let out a muffled sound.

"Don't talk. You'll drain yourself."

"---ank…"

"Mr. Longbottom is facing disciplinary measures. By the looks of it, he was about to get suspended. Imagine what Augusta would say to that! "

Lily's heart sank. Frank in suspension? No way!

"However," she continued as she dropped an amount of potion into Lily's mouth. "Mr. Potter had shown up to the Headmaster's office, telling them that he saw someone else cast the spell, although he couldn't place the culprit. Mr. Black supported him. The Headmaster decided to conduct an investigation first before pressing charges, even though the two witnesses are unreliable, in my opinion."

Lily felt relieved as she watched the nurse's retreating back. She couldn't imagine life at Hogwarts without Frank, especially when she knew that it was her own fault if he did get suspended… or expelled. However, the matter about James Potter saving the day was unexpected.

Come to think of it, he was there when it happened. Lily remembered seeing him and Black behind that shield. She had stunned Black, too. Then there was that look on his face when she said that Potter was…

Lily sighed. When she gets out, she had a lot of apologizing to do.

(--)

"I can't believe they're still fighting." Sirius sighed to Peter as the two played wizard's chess in the common room. On one end, Remus was reading a book. On the other, James was writing something up.

"I miss our hideout." Peter said. "We can't go in there until they decide to be friends again. Did James apologize already?"

"No. Remus doesn't want to talk to him yet."

(--)

_Dear __Evans __Lily,_

_I know that you clearly do not want to see me when you're in such a helpless state, so I decided to write you a letter instead. _

_I just wanted to tell you that Frank is still "grounded", according to Professor Sprout. Weird, how that woman disciplines her kids. Anyway, he's not allowed to get out of his dorm besides during meals and classes, so he can't visit you. He also, can't owl anyone. His parents have been notified though._

_He wants you to know that he's not angry with you anymore, as he's used to your PMS moods. _

_Along with this letter, I present you with the thing that makes the world go 'round …books! They are shrunken to fit the envelope, as madam Pomfrey would kill me if she found out. I hope that the reading material would do fine for your reading pleasure, as I picked them out myself._

_I will not spoil this letter by asking you out through it, even though I'd really like it if you you'd say yes (hehe). But seriously, I would, even though what you said back there is huge throw-back to my ego._

_Yours,_

_James_

James read and reread his letter to check if what he wrote was "sensitive" enough for a girl. He had a trash can filled with discarded rejects of his letter to Lily. He wanted her to say yes for once, but there was a hidden agenda to this.

If Remus sees that he's taking the advice, he might be forgiven. Remus was the kind of person who absolutely, sadistically _loved_ being able to say "I told you so". So James is swallowing his pride to let Remus get the satisfaction of being right.

James sealed the letter and headed for the Infirmary. He inwardly wished that Lily was still unconscious so he could slip the letter beside her and get away silently.

He reached the Hospital Wing and quietly walked through the ward. He spotted the redhead on one of the beds. He placed the letter beside her pillow. He was about to slip away when she stirred.

James froze, afraid that he might be spotted. Lily just turned her head to face him, yet she was still asleep. He let out a breath of relief and looked at her.

Lily was not really an attention-grabber when it came to appearance. She was plain. Perhaps the most noticeable part of her is her fiery red hair. She was also paler than most girls, most likely because she mainly stayed indoors.

Before he knew it, James found himself pushing stray red locks away from her face to get a better look. She was really pretty up close. It was too bad he'd have to break her heart in the end, if ever his mission would even get to phase 1, which was the part when she would say yes.

Suddenly, Lily moved her head towards the direction of James' hand. Subconsciously, he smiled as he felt her breath on his hand. He held her face like that for a while.

Alas, the mood was broken once James heard footsteps echo louder and louder from outside.

He quickly withdrew his hand and ran out of the infirmary, wondering why he spaced out earlier and why he suddenly felt lighter upon touching Lily Evans's skin.

(--)

Madam Pomfrey woke Lily up to check up on her spinal wound. She woke up into a bad mood, as she was dreaming of having someone caress her face softly. The hand was callused, yet she liked the feeling. When she woke up, she felt a little disappointed that it was only a dream.

It had been almost a week since her duel with Frank, and her friend didn't even bother to visit her. It was a harsh revenge, harsher than hexes. The sadness slowed down her recovery, but she did manage sit up.

When the nurse left, Lily noticed the letter beside her pillow. She opened the enveloped and read it.

**Okay, short chapter… sorry. Really sorry. I know you're probably not contented, but please bear with me (is that how you spell bear?). Anyway, the next xhapter is just around that very near corner and I'm trying to do this as fast as I can because when school starts, updates would have to wait for months.**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm getting the color/ mineral Beryl from my first ever friend in the University… Beryl (applause). I don't know if she reads fanfiction but she made Freshie orientation much easier to endure.**

Frank walked briskly through the hallways of Hogwarts a week after the incident. Lily had not yet been discharged from the Hospital Wing, as her wound was still not fully healed.

He tried to ignore the suspicious stares and whispers of the people he passed by.

"…attacked Lily Evans…"

"…cheated on him by seducing James Potter."

"…blackmailed Black and Potter into saving himself."

"…said that he's jealous of Lily... has sexuality problems."

Frank clenched his teeth at the last comment. He was never good at handling rumors internally. He absolutely hated the spotlight, unless his eyes are colored orange and his lower face is covered by a mask. The sexuality matter didn't help either.

Just three days ago, his dorm mates decorated his bed with pink drapery, red heart-shaped pillows, and feather boas. It was all topped with red and pink rose petals.

Frank nearly charged his Patronus at his roommates. He, however, had a longer patience than Lily's. He let things brush aside, as he did not want to get into any more trouble. His Mum had already sent him an incredibly embarrassing Howler the day after the incident.

However, the thing that bothered Frank the most was that he didn't actually do anything. Yeah, sure, he fought back with Lily, but that was necessary. James had explained that he saw someone else cast the spell, which let Frank off the hook. But he knew that it would take more than a Marauder's word to clear his name.

He was thankful for not getting expelled, though. It was a good thing James and Sirius did show up or else, he would have been killed several times by his mum.

He had asked James to tell Lily that he wasn't mad anymore. It wasn't the first time the two dueled due to a bad case of PMS, but the last one was the most intense. He had not expected Lily to react that badly to James' courting habits. But now that he was seeing what it was like to be the center of the ruddy rumor cycle of the school, he finally understood her, and Lily was not the type of person who handled pressure well… probably except for in academics.

He got out of the castle and made his way to the greenhouses. Professor Sprout had lessened his punishment. Frank thought that she just felt sorry for him because of everything he was going through.

He pushed through the door of the greenhouse and made his way to a corner, where he had set his beloved pot of Mimbulus Mimbletonia, which he got from Lily back at third year. It had grown steadily and he nourished it with care.

He stopped dead in front of his plant and gasped. It was dyed in a horrible shade of pink.

Frank kicked an empty clay pot beside him, making it crack onto the wall.

_Calm down. _He told himself. _It's just a bloody plant. It could be fixed._

He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. It was unfair how they treated him. They didn't even know what really happened.

Suddenly, the door to the greenhouse opened. Alice Prewett's head popped out from behind it.

"Excuse me, we heard something break in here and--- oh!"

She trailed off after seeing that it was Frank in front of her, staring at a ridiculous fuschia plant in front of him.

Frank let out a breath. "It's nothing." he said, turning away from her. "I dropped something, s'all."

(--)

Alice Prewett watched the boy run a hand through his hair before repairing the broken pot with his wand. She caught a glimpse of a hideous pink plant behind his tall frame.

Alice felt a pang of guilt rush through her. She was partly responsible for Longbottom's misery. She just wanted to get back at Evans for calling her dumb, so she spread the rumors about him being gay. She overheard Sirius Black talk about it once and turned the joke into a harsh falsehood.

"I'm sorry." Frank said, not turning to face her, hands on his hips. Alice frowned.

"For what."

"In behalf of Lily." Frank turned to look at her. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not accepting that until she says so herself." she told him hotly. Frank sighed and rolled his eyes at her.

"Fine. Whatever. I'm just apologizing because she might not do it herself, though I know she's sorry."

Alice gaped at the gesture. "What are you, some kind of puppet? What does Evans have that you always follow her bidding?"

He picked up his pink potted plant and went for the door. When he passed her, he paused.

"I owe her my life."

(--)

"_Hurry Frank!"_

_12 year-old Frank dodged as many running people as he could as he and his Mum went with the current of people heading towards the exit of St. Mungo's. _

_It was the middle of the summer hols and Frank decided to come with his mother to the hospital to finish a Herbology essay in the hospital greenhouses. It was very unfortunate for him, and for all other people in St. Mungo's to experience You-Know-Who's first ever attack of the summer._

_Patients were being rushed into the nearby fireplaces in stretchers, wheelchairs, and others as apparition wards had been set by the Death Eaters around the hospital._

_Frank ran as fast as he could, following his mother through the corridors. His heart was beating so fast that he wouldn't be surprised if he exploded in anxiety. His sweaty hands had slipped out of his mother's grip and he had to try his best to grasp it back._

"_THE BLOODY FLOO ISN'T WORKING!" someone cried._

_Panic ensued within the crowd. The Floo Network had been their last hope of escape. They were in the fourth floor, making it very hard for them to reach the main entrance. A stampede seemed to occur. Frank had to hold on to his mother's waist to prevent himself from being trampled upon. _

"_DEATH EATERS!"_

_All of a sudden, jets of Unforgivables and other hexes began to shoot out from all corners of the room. Masked hooded figures appeared out of nowhere._

_Frank looked up to see his mother shielding him with one arm and shooting spells with the other. He felt so helpless at that moment. He wished that he, too, could fight. _

_He felt himself being pried away from her mother's grip by one of the Death Eaters. He held on to her tighter, but he failed as the figure roughly pulled him away._

"_Here. Take him."_

_He was shoved into the arms of another Death Eater. He kicked and resisted as hard as he could as the second Death Eater brought him away from his mother and into a separate area where there were few people._

"_Please! Not Frank! I'll do anything!" he heard her cry._

"_Let me go!" he cried. "Get off me!"_

"_That's it!" the Death Eater cried as he was getting harder to pull. "_Imperio! _Now stop moving and follow me!"_

_Frank clenched his teeth and resisted very hard. He knew he was doing quite a good job at it, for his steps were heavy and slow._

_The Death Eater swore before casting a harsh "_Crucio!" _upon him. _

_Frank dropped at the intense pain. He did not scream, as he knew that Death Eaters take pleasure in their victims' agony._

_The curse ended and Frank lay there on the ground, panting even more. A few moments later, he saw his mother being dragged by the first Death Eater._

"_She won't talk."_

_A second Cruciatus hit him. His mother wailed._

"_STOP IT!"_

"_Not unless you tell us where your husband is."_

"_I told you already, I don't know! Please don't hurt him. He's just a child!" tears ran down from her eyes._

"_Very well then. Since you won't tell us, we're just going to end little Longbottom's life, right here in front of you."_

_His other's eyes went wide. "Oh no! Please don't---"_

_Frank's vision blurred as he realized what the Death Eater was talking about. He didn't want to die like that, not without a fight. But he had no wand._

Expelliarmus, _he cried in his mind. _Please work! I don't want it to end like this!

"Avada---"

Please work.

"Kedav---"

Expelliarmus!

_The hooded figure was suddenly thrown back into the wall behind him, making him unconscious. _

"_Bloody hell!" the other figure cried. "I'll finish this." he said, pointing his wand at Frank. _

_Frank closed his eyes. He was too tiredto do anything, not even to keep his eyes open. At least he fought. At least he tried. He just hoped his Mum and Dad were safe. _

_As the words of the Killing Curse began to get out of the enemy's lips,_ _he opened his eyes. All he saw was a smoky beryl creature driving the enemy away, and then he fell unconscious._

(----)

"This cloak is getting too small, you know."

"No. We're just getting too big."

"What time is it?"

"It's about 1:30 AM."

"It's that late already?"

James and Sirius walked side by side under the invisibility cloak in the darkness. They just came from the Slytherin common rooms. Later that day, the entire house would find their common room being haunted by pygmy puffs the size of dogs with sharp teeth and claws. They stole the supposed to be adorable creatures from Hagrid (and vowed to get them back later).

It felt good to prank Slytherins, but the Marauders had a rule that bans them from rejoicing until they actually get to their safe house, in that case, the common room.

"And alas!" Sirius cried dramatically. "We have reached the very stunning portrait of the Fat Lady!"

"You two owe me one." The Fat Lady said. "I had to stay up later than what we bargained."

"Don't worry." James told her. "We'll make sure The Quidditch Player gets your message."

The portraint blushed. "Thank you. Password?"

"Albatross."

The portrait opened and the two stepped inside the common room.

James froze to see a mop of sandy hair behind a couch. His back was turned to them. "Er, hi Remus."

Sirius had made sure that Remus knew that James had followed the 'sensitivity' advice. James had not seen him lately though, except for in classes.

"So you decided to play a prank without me." he said coldly, still not turning to face them.

James' eyes went wide.

"That's not it… well, it is kind of true." Sirius said. "But Peter decided to sit out and well, you know our current situation. Look here, can't we just get along? I mean, James did follow---"

James placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Sirius sighed and nodded before retreating to the boys' dormitory. James went over to Remus and sat on the armchair in front of him. He was reading a book and he didn't look up.

"I'm sorry Remus."

A few minutes passed before he said something.

"How is Lily?"

"She's recovering. The wound took a long time to heal."

"No. I meant how you were getting along with her."

James grinned. He knew his plan was working. "We're civil to each other at least."

"Oh."

Remus shut his book close and stood up. He nodded and started to go up the dorm, leaving James confused.

"Does this mean we're friends again?" he cried after him.

Remus paused. "Not uless you continue to do pranks behind my back. Oh, and you have to visit Lily again."

"Why?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Sensitivity, James."

(--)

Lily ate her meal with very little enthusiasm. She was sick of the place. Potter's books could only do so much, even though they were very interesting (mostly muggle novels).

There were improvements regarding her wound though. Besides being able to sit up, she could also lean forward already. The pain on her back was less and she tried standing up and walking (behind the nurse's back). It was a little painful, but she managed.

Now all she had to do was get out of there, or else she'll die of boredom.

She sighed and placed her tray on the bedside table. She leaned back on her headboard and closed her eyes, wishing that anyone… Frank would come and visit at least.

She was guilty about Frank, even though the friend had already forgiven her. If it wasn't for her temperamental problems, none of it should've happened.

She was thankful though for Potter's letter. If it wasn't for him then her recovery would have been slower. She would be thinking constantly about how to win Frank's friendship back, and she'd be worried sick that Frank refuses to visit her.

Lily sighed once more, wondering about the last part of the letter, wherein Potter tries to convince her to give him a chance. Lily still didn't want to. Despite his sincere words, she felt something behind it. Were his intentions really that pure?

What would Frank say?

"_Give the guy a chance, Lils. You never know… you might like him."_

Lily grinned at her own thoughts. She couldn't reach Frank through Legilemency. Slight trauma made sure of that. But she felt that he would always be connected to her mind.

She opened her eyes to find that she was not alone. A handsome messy-haired boy was sitting at the foot of her bed. He wasn't looking at her, but at the hangings.

"Potter."

James smiled charmingly at her and stood up. He flourished a bouquet of lilies in front of her.

"Lilies for the Lily."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Is that a compliment, a pick-up line or just a statement?"

James chuckled. "It's something I made up."

Lily rolled her eyes, albeit in an amused way. She accepted the flowers and placed them on the bedside table. "So why are you here?"

James mocked a hurt look. "Can't I visit you out of the pure intention of just seeing that you're alright?"

(--)

Much to James' surprise, Lily laughed.

"You're bloody weird. Don't you know that?"

"Well, you're the fist person to tell me that… but thanks."

"Er, that wasn't a compliment, Potter."

"Yeah, but It's kind of the farthest thing from an insult that you've called me."

Lily stopped laughing and looked at him curiously. "Why do you ask me out all the time?"

James was quite surprised by the question. He didn't expect to be asked those kinds of questions during the visit. He just came to show her the "sensitive" side Remus kept on talking about.

"Well, er, I really think that you're attractive." he answered. He smiled inwardly. His answer _was _true… sort of.

"So you only based all this on my looks?"

"No! What I'm saying is that, er, I mean, I saw that you're probably an interesting person so I thought, why not give it a go?"

"Oh really?"

"Really."

James squirmed inwardly under her gaze. He was reminded once again, that talking to girls was not his best talent.

"Then why," Lily said, leaning forward. "Are you so persistent?"

James backed out a bit. He knew she was suspecting something. He really didn't want to lie to her. He didn't want to lie to anybody just for the sake of learning Legilemency.

"Don't take this offensively." Lily continued. "But I always get the feeling that you have some hidden agenda to why you want a date so badly."

"Why'd you think that?" James asked a little too loudly. Lily shrugged.

"I don't know." she fingered the lilies and took them close to her face. "These are beautiful by the way. Thank you."

James felt the heat rise up to his cheeks. Lily's smile made him blush. He looked away, trying to fight the goofy grin spreading across his face.

"How was the match, by the way?" Lily asked. "I didn't hear anything about it."

"We won." James said proudly. "But Hufflepuff almost beat us. They were leading by fifty points until Thomas caught the snitch."

"Sounds like they've gotten stronger."

"They have. I can't believe you haven't heard about the game."

"Well, Madam Pomfrey's not really that good company."

James realized that Lily didn't really have any close friends besides Frank Longbottom, and Frank was prohibited from seeing her. "It must be pretty lonely here then."

"Well, your books did help. Thanks for that."

An awkward silence came. Then Lily broke it reluctantly.

"James?"

"Hmm?"

"How's Frank?"

James was about to respond when Remus suddenly burst to the Hospital Wing.

"James, McGonagall's waiting!"

James' eyes widened and he glanced up at his watch.

"Sweet Merlin! I have to go." he said before standing up. "I'll see you again after class, okay."

(--)

Alice walked through the wide corridors that, according to the Marauders, was where the Hufflepuff common room was located. It was absolutely better than the corridor leading to Gryffindor tower. But Alice found the very perky portraits to be too happy for her taste.

She was tasked upon by a convincing Sirius Black to "kidnap" someone from the Hufflepuff common room, someone by the name of Frank Longbottom.

"Why me?" Alice had asked him when he told her the task.

"Because according to the stats… Remus?" Remus handed him a long piece of parchment, which he unrolled and read using James' spectacles. "About 65 of your male admirers come from the said house. Therefore, you have a very strong influence on them. Also, the impression you give the male--- and female--- population can help boost Mr. Longbottom's current situation."

Alice sighed and proceeded to walk through the hall. She herself was surprised when she said yes without asking for something in return. The Marauders too were astonished, by the looks of it, but they were glad she accepted.

She finally got to the portrait of The Willow Nymph.

"Ooh! A Gryffie!" the dazzling browni-skinned girl cried, twirling her vine-like hair. "Did someone give you the password? Your _boyfriend _maybe? "

Alice fought the urge to roll her eyes. So that was the renowned sappy nymph of Hufflepuff. She forced on a smile.

"Galatea."

"Precisely." the nymph giggled.

Alice straightened her robes and hair and took a deep breath before entering the room.

It was quite large, just the same as Gryffindor common room. But the feel was homier. The yellow walls were painted with leafy vines on which moving monkeys were swinging from. The fire was burning cheerfully on one side and the seats looked plush and comfortable. But it was not the surroundings that Alice encountered first, it was that weird look everyone kept on giving her.

Girls whispered and a few guys cat-called.

"Er, excuse me." Alice turned to see a blond-haired boy with a prefect badge. "I'm Carlo Brown, Hufflepuff prefect. Er, you seem to be, er, lost… Anyway, can I help you?"

"Oh, er, I'm looking for Frank Longbottom." She said sheepishly, trying hard to ignore the loudening whispers. "You see, I really need to talk to him and, well, I forgot to tell him to meet me. A friend of mine told me how to get here so I decided to risk it come." She flashed him her dazzling smile and hoped for the best.

The color rose to Carlo's cheeks as an awkward silence followed. "Er, I guess it's fine then."

Alice let out a breath of relief and grinned. She held his shoulders, making him blush even more. "Thank you very much." she said in a lower voice. She let go of him. "Now can you tell me where he is?"

"He's in the deck." Carlo answered embarrassedly, pointing to the double doors adjacent to the fireplace. "Out that door."

Alice smiled at him once more before flitting across the room, out into the deck. The area was surrounded by battlements and there were wicker outdoor furniture. _I wish we had those, _Alice thought.

She spotted Frank leaning on the battlements, staring out into the grounds. She approached him slowly, trying to remember what she was going to say.

He turned and faced her, looking confused.

"Prewett?"

"Hi Frank."

(--)

"Where are they?" James asked pacing on the Restricted Section. "What's taking them so long? Maybe she got caught?"

"Then the coin would be burning hot by now if that happened." Remus told him. "Is it hot Peter?"

"Nope."

"See?"

"Maybe Frank decided to take her for a good snog in a broom closet." Sirius said jokingly. "I know I would."

James gasped. "What if he did? Then that would make our schedule messed up! I can't afford getting caught! What if---"

"We're here." Alice appeared from the trapdoor followed by Frank.

"Where were you!" James asked, coming over to them. "We've been waiting for ages!"

"Actually, it was only for about thirty minutes. James, get a grip!"

"Anyway, why am I here?" Frank asked them.

(--)

Lily couldn't sleep. She checked the illuminated clock on the wall opposite her. 12:45. She still felt pain on her back. She didn't understand how a wound could remain fresh for days.

Her thoughts pondered on a certain visitor earlier that day. He told her he'd come again. She would not admit it, but she did wait for him to come. She sighed and rolled over on the bed. It was just a joke to make her feel better after all.

Suddenly, the door to the Infirmary creaked open.

"Shh."

"Pomfrey could hear us."

"Ouch! Stop poking me, Padfoot!"

"That was Frank!"

"Was not!"

Lily sat up in bed. "James?" she called.

A very loud "Shhhh!" echoed through the room.

Two figures went up to her while another one stayed by the door.

"Frank!" she hugged her best friend tightly. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, Lils." he let go of her and smiled in the light from James' wand. "You don't know how tough life is out there without you."

"I want a hug too, you know." James said, pouting at her. "I'm the one who brought him here after all."

Lily looked at him. "Aww. You did?" she pinched his cheek like what a person would do to a baby. "Dat's bewy shweet ob you."

James chuckled and took her hand away. "So you guys talk here. You've got… three minutes. I'll be in my post."

He went towards the opposite side of the room where madam Pomfrey's office-slash-quarters was located.

Lily turned to Frank. "So what rumors have been circulating?"

"That I attacked you for cheating on me by flirting with James, then I blackmailed the Marauders into saving me. Plus, there's that thing about my sexuality… but I'll manage."

Lily sent him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Frank."

"It's okay Lils. I've seen worse from your bad side."

Lily laughed as she remembered more of their past. Then a question came to her.

"How did you get here anyway?"

"Well, James got Alice Prewett to steal me away from the Hufflepuff common room. Then we went to their hideout, which I am forbidden to reveal, then they took me here."

Lily gaped. "Alice Prewett took you to them?"

"Er, yeah."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "I guess I'd have to apologize to her too."

Frank smiled. "You know, she's not so bad. I talked to her on the way and she seems nice once you get to know her."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "This is a development. I see I've been gone so long."

"Hey! It's not like that!"

Lily laughed at Frank's reaction as he gaped at her. A few moments later, she turned serious. "How's the underground?"

Frank lowered his voice. "Everyone's been checking their coins. They know something's up. They might get suspicious of you if you don't show up."

Lily bit her lip. "I'll come up of something. Don't worry."

As if on cue, James began to walk towards them, signaling Frank and Sirius to go.

"Bye Lils. See you!" Frank said as he inched his way to follow Sirius out of the Infirmary.

(--)

James heard a moan from the other side of the room. Pomfrey could be up. He signaled the two to inch back. He couldn't take any chances. A Marauder never gets caught.

As the two disappeared behind the door, he reached Lily's bed and flashed her what he thought was his winning smile. Lily smiled back.

"Thank you." she whispered.

"You're most welcome." he took out four shrunken books from his pocket and laid them on her bedside table.

"Bye Flower."

Without warning, Lily engulfed him in a hug. "Thank you." she whispered again.

James blushed as he hugged her back. "Anytime, Flower." he said before pushing away. "You get well soon, okay."

And without thinking, he kissed her cheeks. "Bye Lily."

He raced out of the Infirmary with a goofy grin plastered on his face, never forgetting the image of Lily Evans's flushed tinge against the dim light.

**(--)**

**So here we are... chappie 9. Told you I'd get it done.**

**Anyway, I really am sorry about the last shooooort chapter. It just didn't feel right.**

**aloneBUTunafraid - I resent that (pouts)**

**MercuryMan - I decided to make her lose because a certain reviewer said she was too perfect... sounds familiar???**

**tracey.hahaha - whatever, my dear cuzzin**

**volleychica - actually, english is kinda my third language. I speak two dialects and it's difficult to express yourself in english if you know more than one language. I mean, there are times when you have a certain dialect word in mind that you want to translate in English, but you can't seem to find the right word. Do you get me? hehehe. Anyway, thanls for understanding.**

**k9cat - there's the "son" again... hehehe.**

**I just want to inform everyone that I look at the profile of EVERY SINGLE ONE of my reviewers... and those who turned on their alert buttons but don't have the, er, willpower to review.**

**Luv ya!**


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter is dedicated to my brother, Topy. I'm gonna miss you! Good luck in High School!**

**Anyway, this is quite an important chapter so… ENJOY!**

**DEAL?**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**

The following day, Lily had gathered the Fracas for a match. It would be too suspicious if there would be no meetings for more than a week.

She was looking forward to the night. She couldn't wait to get out of the Infirmary. But she also wanted to be discharged from Pomfrey's clutches. She had a lot of things to do when she gets out. She had to apologize to Alice, put an end to rumors, catch up to a lot of missed classes and probably spend more time with a certain Marauder.

She was very happy when they showed up the night before, surprised, but happy. When the door closed behind James that time, it took her several minutes to get over the shock, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face until the sun began to rise. Nor could she take away the butterflies in her stomach, or the blush on her cheeks. Pomfrey even noticed that she was smiling the whole day.

"I don't know what happened to you." she told her when she gave her the daily dose of potion she was supposed to take. "I don't think this is a side effect of the potion, but if you're really this happy then you might get discharged tomorrow."

Lily had never felt better.

When night came, she slipped out of her bed, fully clothed and took her wand with her. She had slipped a Sleeping draught on Madam Pomfrey's tea earlier that afternoon so she wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night.

Once she was out of the Hospital Wing, Lily broke into a run. She checked for presences and sensed someone following her. Her heart raced and she turned around.

"Ah!"

"Shhhhh! It's me."

"Frank! Don't scare me."

"Sorry. I had to escort you to make sure everything's okay."

"I'm fine Frank. The wound has closed. We have to hurry."

The two donned their masks and hoods and made their way to the painting.

(--)

"I swear this cloak had shrunk over the years. James, do you use that muggle machine that shrinks clothes after washing them?"

"No, Sirius."

"Shhh! Will you people keep quiet! We can't risk anything here."

"No one else is in this floor but us."

"Yes, Peter. But somehow, the map doesn't show the room behind this painting. We wouldn't know if someone was listening to us at this very moment."

"I can't believe we've never thought about this before."

"Me neither. I'm excited."

The Marauders crouched under the Invisibility Cloak in front of the Fracas painting. They were waiting for the match to finish, if there was ever one that night. They realized that the Marauder's Map could tell them who the people behind those masks were.

"Peter, change into a rat, will you."

"Yeah. It's getting quite warm here."

"Sirius's cologne is choking me."

"Hey! This happens to come from France."

"Ah! Space at last!"

"Shhh."

The painting slowly opened to reveal a single hooded figure with piercing green eyes.

"You may come out now." The Laedan said once the portrait was closed.

The three boys got out of the Invisibility Cloak. "Wow." Sirius said. "So _you're _the Dragon. You look taller in person."

"What do you want?" he asked.

"So much for small talk." Sirius muttered.

"We would just like to ask you a few questions." James said.

"About what?"

"Admissions." Remus said. "How do you get into this… society or whatever it is."

That was their second agenda in coming. They were swallowing their pride just to ask her questions on how to get in.

"Why do you ask? Are you interested in joining?"

"Well, yeah."

The Laedan looked at them for a while before talking.

"Before I begin, tell your friend to get out of that cloak." Peter changed back and stood up from under it. "Now let me explain some things to you." he walked closer to them.

"Entering the Fracas would be much more difficult for you. Training for membership takes three or more years. Only a few… exceptional children handled training in a year. Seeing as you are fifth years, it is improbable."

"But it's possible right?"

The Dragon looked at them from head to toe. "There is still hope, though very little." she paced the ground once more. "You will need a sponsor, someone who had been inside the Fracas back in his or her day. You must only choose an alumnus. You cannot choose someone who is currently inside the Fracas."

"What for?"

"For recommendation purposes, of course. And you also need them to train you."

"Can't we just train ourselves?" James asked.

The Laedan chuckled. "There are things in Fracas that you need to know from the alumni. Without them, you would be nothing. Why? Are you capable of learning the arts required for admission?"

"Well, we're on our way of learning Legilemency." Sirius told him.

James nudged him on the ribs. "He didn't need to know that." James hissed.

"Oh really?" the Laedan cocked an eyebrow. "And who might your mentor be?"

James thought about Lily. "We can't tell you."

(--)

Lily narrowed her eyes at them. There was something very wrong about them. She decided to take a peek at their minds, just a quick peek, not enough for them to sense her.

Once she found out, her heart sank.

She stared at them for a very long time. So that was why James was so determined. It wasn't because he really liked her. It was because he wanted to learn Legilemency from her.

"Er, is something wrong?" Remus asked.

Lily looked away from them. She couldn't talk anymore so she opened the painting and went in.

"Hey! Wait!"

She paused and turned to them. "Don't ever dare come here again."

(--)

The painting closed. The four boys were confused. The map was forgotten.

"What was that all about?" Peter asked.

"We must've done something to upset him." Remus said.

"Come on." James said. "Let's go to out hideout."

The four boys went back under the invisibility cloak and went to the library. Once they were there, they suddenly seemed tired.

"What do we do now?" Peter asked as the boys sat down.

"We could try to find a sponsor." Sirius suggested.

"Didn't you hear what she said?" James said. "It's too late now. We should've found a sponsor earlier."

Peter looked at him, eyes wide. "So… we're giving up?"

Nobody spoke.

"What about your Dad?" asked Remus to James. "Wasn't he a member?"

James looked out the window. "No." he answered. "He's not."

(--)

"_Oy James!" Sirius called from in front of the goalpost. "Your Mum's been acting kind of peachy today, haven't you noticed?"_

_James nodded before jerking his broom to the side and scoring a goal. "Yeah, I've noticed that. She's been like that since we got home from school."_

_Sirius threw the Quaffle back at him. "Do you reckon she's got something planned for us?"_

"_James!" a woman's voice called him from the back porch of the house. "James! Sirius! Lunch is ready!"_

"_Coming Mum!" James cried back. He and Sirius dove on their brooms to the direction of the manor. They landed on the Potter's backyard, inches away from Mrs. Potter's prized begonias._

"_Careful!" she cried. "Those flowers took years to bloom!"_

"_Sorry, Aunt Cathy!" Sirius said as they came nearer the house._

_The woman's look softened and she ran a hand through her graying ebony hair. She was quite short, yet her knee-length dress didn't overwhelm her height. Her hazel eyes looked caring and sharp at the same time. "Very well. Off you go to the kitchen."_

_The Potters, despite their vast amounts of gold, preferred to live with only one house elf. They rarely ate in the dining area and Catherine Potter always cooked. The kitchen was her domain and no one ever dared touch her apron and prized kitchen utensils._

"_Now today is a very important day for you boys." she told them as the two boys sat down. She placed the food in front of them and the two piled their plates._

"_What's so important about today, Mum?" _

_She smiled. "Tomorrow, you begin training."_

"_Training for what?"_

_Mrs. Potter did not have a chance to explain, as Topy, their house elf barged into the room. "Mistress Cathy! They is here! They is passing through wards! They is coming!" _

_Mrs. Potter's face went grim. "Boys, you go to the basement." She said, taking off her apron. "Do not get out of there until either your father and I get out. Do you understand?" she got out her wand._

"_Topy, you go to the Ministry by Floo. Tell Mr. Potter at once that this is an emergency."_

"_But Mum---"_

"_Stay!" she ordered, before kissing both James and Sirius on the forehead. She lifted the kitchen rug, revealing a trapdoor on the ground. She opened the latch. Once the boys were inside, she closed it and replaced the rug._

"_James," Sirius whispered._

"_Yeah."_

"_What's going on?"_

"_I don't know." _

_Above the ground, Catherine Potter turned to see two Death Eaters in front of her._

"_Where are they?" one of them asked in a cold voice._

"_I don't know what you are talking about." the mother answered, raising her wand at them. Suddenly, the air became cold. Sadness crept into the house. The two boys underneath the ground felt it. All creatures of the vicinity felt it too. _

_A tall dark creature crept into the kitchen. Its long fingers slowly moved, as if ready for a fight. It hovered above the woman for a while._

_Catherine backed away from it, trying to ease the sadness, concentrating on the time she had her only son, focusing on the happiness she felt after years of hoping for a child._

"Expecto Patronum!"

_In the basement, the two boys saw a golden brown light pass through the floorboards. They heard an elephant's cry from above. _

_Moments later, the trapdoor opened. James's Dad had come home along with a dozen aurors. But they were too late. Mrs. Catherine Potter's body was found on the kitchen floor, clutching her wand loosely in one hand. _

(--)

James visited the Infirmary the next day. He wanted to cheer himself up. His friends were a bit disappointed about giving up, so things were not cheerful with them, not even with Sirius. James had no one else to talk to, so he decided to pay Lily a visit.

For some reason, he was looking forward to seeing her again. He really wanted to talk to her once more. He couldn't wait for her to get out of the Hospital Wing. He was glad he had won her friendship already. Since their plan of getting into the Fracas was now unlikely to happen, he had no excuse to see her again. But James did not want to lose her. Perhaps he could keep her as a friend.

He walked over to Lily's bed. She was already fully dressed, sitting at the edge of the bed. She was reading a book, but not one of those he had given her.

"Hey Flower." he greeted.

Lily looked up from her book, but she didn't smile. "What are you doing here?"

James was taken aback by the coldness in her voice. "Er, I came here to see you."

She stared at him and blinked. "What do you want, Potter?"

James frowned. "Lily, is something wrong?" he asked quietly.

She turned back to her book. "If you came here for nothing then I suggest you leave."

"Lily!"

"What, Potter?" she snapped, looking directly into his eyes. "If you came here to continue on with your _lies, _well guess what, Potter… I'm not buying it!"

She stood up from the bed and began to walk out.

"Lily, wait!" James called as he dashed after her. She was running now,in a speed James didn't know she was capable of. They reached the Entrance hall and got out into the grounds.

"LILY!" James cried. "FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, PLEASE WAIT!"

Finally, she stopped running at the edge of the lake. James reached her. He was out of breath already, his hands on his knees.

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked once more.

"I want--- to know--- what's wrong with you." James said as he regained his breath. Lily wouldn't talk.

"I just wanted to talk to you." James said after a long silence. "Please tell me what's wrong."

Lily didn't look at him. She couldn't look at him. "You're such a fake, Potter."

"What?" James yelped.

"I said you're such a fake! How dare you use me for your own benefit? You could've asked nicely you know!"

"Look, Lily, I---"

"No, Potter! Don't bother explain." She started going back to the castle.

"Lily, wait!" James took her by the shoulder.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Lily shrieked. "AND DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

"FINE!" James snapped back, unable to control himself. All he wanted was to talk to her, explain everything to her, tell her that it was all over. But it seems like she had no hope in him. "I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU EITHER, EVANS!"

(--)

Lily's vision blurred. It suddenly seemed so cold, but she barely noticed it. She also didn't notice the snow that came falling slowly from the ground.

She felt the tears start to come. She didn't say anything. She couldn't talk after that. Why was he mad? She's the one who's supposed to be mad, not him.

She turned away from him, her breathing was getting shallow. She left him, running into the castle, ignoring all the stares she was receiving.

She couldn't let him see her cry. She didn't know why she was crying in the first place. She knew she had the right to be angry, but why was she crying?

Lily was crying so hard that she didn't notice someone standing on her way. She bumped into the person very hard that she fell onto the floor.

"I'm sorry." she said, between sobs.

She looked up at the person and recognized who it was, and she let herself be embraced by him.

"Now now, Lily." The person said in a deep soothing voice. "Don't cry."

(--)

**Okay, my very first cliffie. I told you this chapter is gonna be important. I have to admit though it is kinda short. Also, I might have certain mistakes about the weather. I mean, I've never seen snow before (gasps) cuz we don't have it here in the friggin' tropics (where global warming can REALLY be experienced). We only have extremely rainy or extremely sunny days here.**

**I guess the thing I said about those people who have this story on alert was effective. I'm sorry if it is kinda rude though.**

**DarkSlider - I KNEW you'd review one of these days... thanks!**

**messyblackhair66 - I didn't know. But to avoid confusion, I'm gonna use "Prewett" anyway.**

**HawaiianNeku - Originality doesn't matter ... thanks!!!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Talk to y'all at the end okay!**

**DEAL?**

**AMEN?**

**GOOD.**

Frank was eating his lunch in the Great Hall. He was waiting for Lily, who was supposed to be discharged that afternoon, but insisted on escaping. She had insisted that she attend classes immediately after lunch. She had a lot to catch up on, and time before the O.W.L.s was trickling away.

She was acting strangely last night, almost like she wanted to cry. Frank was thankful that no one had dared to challenge her at that time, for she was not focused at all. She even stuttered during the dismissal. Perhaps she was in pain because of the wound.

Frank knew that the other members were suspicious too. He himself could admit that Lily's cover was slowly blowing off ever since she got into the Infirmary. It was no coincidence that the absent Laedan had green eyes and so does Lily Evans, who was in the Hospital Wing for about a week. Her actions during the past night did not help either. She just made herself look weak. He heard rumors about it already. He was scared for Lily. No one must know who the Laedan is, or else they can use the identity to their advantage.

He had sent an owl to Lily's mentor that morning, hoping that somehow, he could help. Lily always spoke greatly of Master Savio, although Frank strongly thought that she got her sadistic traits from him.

He caught a glimpse of red hair from outside the doors, yet she didn't come into the Hall. _Perhaps she wants to go outside for a bit._

"Hi Frank!"

Frank turned to see Alice standing behind him. In an instant, he felt all eyes on him. Alice seemed to have felt it too, but she made a better effort in ignoring them.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Er, no." Frank quickly took his things away from the space next to him. Alice sat down and helped herself on Hufflepuff's food.

"What are you doing?" Frank whispered.

"Well, I brought Lily's school stuff with me so I could give them to you and you can give them to her." She dumped Lily's bag on a space on the table. "And seeing that there's an empty seat next to you, I am taking the liberty of eating lunch here." she leaned towards him and lowered her voice. "I'm doing you a favor, Longbottom. Evans better be thankful for this."

Frank chuckled and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Alice punched him on the arm.

"Ow!"

"That was for being ungrateful."

"Look Alice, I really appreciate it, but it's okay, okay?"

"Don't lie to me, Frank. I see how you flinch every time someone says the word 'gay'."

Frank flinched. Alice smirked.

"Fine, but I have no idea what you're trying to…"

Frank trailed off as he saw Lily pass by outside the Great Hall's entrance quickly. Even from his distance, he could see that something was wrong.

Muttering a quick goodbye to Alice, he dashed out of the Great Hall.

(--)

_Lily peered from behind the Savios' kitchen door. From there, she could see Jason and his wife, Ebony talking amiably to each other while preparing dinner._

_Lily watched as the two laughed at a joke Jason cracked. She envied the Savios. They looked so happy. Why couldn't she have a family like that? It wasn't fair!_

"_It's rude to eavesdrop, you know."_

_Lily quickly turned to see a boy at about her age (thirteen) standing behind her. She was taller at about a few inches, yet he stood so erect and so straight that he seemed to be the bigger person. Lily found herself staring at him. He was looking at her with dark violet eyes._

"_I--I wasn't eavesdropping."_

_The boy cocked his head to the side. "Really?"_

"_Really."_

(--)

James was not in the mood. After his confrontation with Lily, he sulkily entered the Great Hall for lunch.

He went over to his friends' place on the table. "Hey James," Sirius called. "Have you finished your Defe--- oy!"

James had taken Sirius's plate of unfinished lunch and began to eat his Shepherd's pie.

"That was the last one." Sirius whined.

"Let him have the pie, Padfoot." Remus told him. "It looks like he really needs it."

"I can't believe it!" James suddenly blurted out after a few bites of the pie. "I mean I understand that she's mad, but she's being stupid for not letting me apologize at all! All she did was scream at me. I didn't even say anything!"

Sirius blinked. "Okay… what are we talking about again?"

James sighed. "It's Evans."

"Lily? What's wrong? I thought you two were getting along fine."

"Lover's quarrel." Alice said, suddenly appearing on the seat in front of Sirius.

"Huh?"

"It's a lover's spat they've just had. Couples tend to have it all the time."

"Shut up, Alice." James said coldly. "You don't know anything about it."

"Then why are you suddenly blushing? Don't pour out your anger on _me, _Potter. Oh, and by the way, why is Lily crying?"

"She's crying?"

"Yes. Frank just chased after her a few minutes ago."

" The mad Prongs had just made a female cry!" Sirius exclaimed, taking hold of James' shirt collar. "James, that's against the Marauders' code!"

"Shut up!" James snapped, prying his hands away from him.

"Well, whatever it is," Alice said, standing up. "I hope you fix things up soon. It's a waste for you to lose a friend for one unimportant fight."

She walked away. James watched her do so. She didn't understand. It was not an "unimportant fight". It was much more serious than that. James wanted to apologize, but the fact that Lily would not let him do so made him even angrier.

"If you're just going to stab that pie, can I have it?" Sirius asked. James glared at him. "That's it, mate. What's wrong?"

The bell rang and everyone started to pile out of the Great Hall. "I'll tell you later."

Sirius muttered something about pie as they got out of the hall. "By the way, James, have you finished your D.A.D.A. essay? It's due today, isn't it?"

James cursed loudly. He had forgotten his things in the Infirmary. He had dropped his bag there before dashing after Lily.

"You guys go ahead." he told his friends. "I'll be back."

He began to make his way up to the Hospital Wing. He cursed once more as the hallways began to empty. He was going to be late.

He rounded a corner and bumped into no one else but Frank Longbottom.

"Frank," said James. "What are you doing out of class?"

"Shhhhh!"

James turned to what Frank was looking at. On the other side of the long corridor was a stunned-looking red-haired girl in the hallway. She was in the arms of someone he could not place.

(--)

"Gabriel." Lily whispered when she saw those unusually tinted eyes.

"Shh. Someone might be watching." he held her close, placing his head beside hers, his breath tickling her hair. "Dad sent me."

"For what?" Lily whispered back.

"We've been informed of your… situation, Lily. Looks like you've got enemies."

"Everyone has them."

"Yes, but most people's hate for one another is not strong enough to make them inflict wounds that won't heal." he touched her sore back. Lily moaned at the pain.

"There there now, love." Gabriel said in a soothing tone as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. Lily always marveled his eyes. She had heard and seen purple-colored eyes before, but mostly on girls. The eye color was extremely rare, which is why there were usually five Fracas council members than six.

"Now it seems like you've got more problems than the ones I thought you have." he said after a sniff from Lily. "Come on. Let's talk somewhere."

"But I have classes."

"You're supposed to be discharged later in the afternoon, Lily. Be thankful I've charmed Pomfrey into trusting you to me."

Lily looked at him. "What are you doing here, anyway… besides that?"

(--)

"Who was that?" James asked Frank as Lily and the figure disappeared at the other end of the hallway.

"Gabriel Savio. Nineteen years old. Advanced Guard."

James raised his eyebrows. "Advanced Guard?" he repeated. "You mean the guy's an auror? But he's just a kid!"

"I believe that's why they call him 'advanced'." Frank replied. James rolled his eyes. "They let him skip a few years of school and allowed him to train for aurorship (AN: is that what it's called?) right away."

"How come I've never heard of him before?"

"He is a graduate of Durmstrang. Lily told me his Dad wanted him to learn about the Dark Arts."

"WHAT!"

"Well, it was something about being able to know both sides of power and learn the methods of defense against the Dark Arts. They say he's been a great asset for the Ministry, even though he opposes the Minister sometimes.

"So he knows Lily?" James asked him, ignoring the question.

"Er, yeah. They go way back. He used to tutor us back at third year… wait, what are you doing here?"

(--)

"_Ah, I see you've met Lily!" Jason exclaimed as Lily and Gabriel entered the kitchen. "Be nice to her, Gabe."_

"_Don't be scared of him, Lily." Ebony told her as she set the salad bowl down on the table. "Gabriel is a good guy… unlike other people in this family."_

"_Scared? Why would Lily be scared of him? He's shorter by a foot!"_

_Lily looked at Gabriel. He didn't seem to be hurt by the comment. He just rolled his eyes. "And where did that physical trait come from again? Oh right… my Dad."_

"_Hey, I was way taller than you when I was at your age!"_

"_No wonder why you stopped growing early. And look! Your hair stopped growing along with you!"_

"_That's enough you two!" Ebony cried. "We have a guest. You should act proper. And that means you too, Jason!"_

_(--)_

James' day just got worse as he was late for the period after lunch. He didn't get to retrieve his essay from the Infirmary and he failed to listen at about the next two classes.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sirius asked him as they made their way towards their last class, Potions.

"For the thirteenth time, Padfoot, I'm fine!"

"Just leave him be." Remus said as they reached their classroom.

There was a vacant stool at the back with its own desk. But the students ignored them as they piled into the classroom. James moodily sat on his seat with his friends. The rest had gone quiet, sensing the heavy aura surrounding him.

"Settle down!" Professor Slughorn's voice suddenly boomed across the room filled with chatter. "Now today, I have some exciting news for you all."

The class began to look curious. Even James' foul mood didn't stop him from looking up to the Professor.

"Today, a new student has arrived. Well, he's not a student anymore, as he had already graduated from Durmstrang Academy in Bulgaria."

Whispers filled the room. Almost everyone looked confused, yet interested at the same time. James' eyes widened. He thought he knew where that was going.

"May I introduce you to Mr. Gabriel Savio."

A young man entered the room from Slughorn's office behind the teacher's table. James got to look at him closely now. He was not very tall, just average in height for a teenager. He had curly black hair that fell in front of his eyes, which were emerald green. He stood so erect that he seemed very tall from afar. His shoulders indicated a lean build, yet not too muscular.

"He's hot."

"Agreed."

"He seems kind of short though."

"He looks smart."

"Doesn't he look a bit tired?"

Slughorn proudly beamed at the boy. "Mr. Savio is going to be part of our classes for a while as he is undergoing his Adept Auror Training. It is required by the Ministry if ever an auror wants to be part of some major operations."

No wonder why Slughorn was very proud of him. He was bound to be famous someday.

Somehow, James felt a hint of anger, uneasiness and… jealousy?

(--)

Lily watched the scene from Gabriel's two-way mirror. Before the class started, he had placed the other mirror on the back of the room, where she could see everything.

Everyone seemed to be interested in him. It was obvious for many people (particularly girls) were whispering to each other. The rest were examining him from their seats. Even the Slytherins were captivated.

Lily was impressed. He managed to gain attention already, and he wasn't even doing anything yet. Somehow, Gabriel had that effect on people.

The two had agreed to change Gabriel's eye color from purple to green. It was his idea, telling her that it was very necessary for his so-called "plan". Besides, it would be too suspicious.

Suddenly, James Potter's hand shot into the air.

"You have something to say, Mr. Potter?"

"Why is he training here at Hogwarts?" he asked. "I mean, isn't he supposed to be in some auror training facility of some sort?"

"Ah yes. You see, Mr. Savio here is an Advanced Guard. He missed three years of schooling in Durmstrang and the Ministry here requires him to pass the British curriculum."

"Then why is he here? If he's _so_ advanced then he should know everything by now."

Lily's eyes widened. How dare he say that in front of Gabriel? He didn't even know how strong he is!

She saw Remus hiss something from beside James. Sirius was looking at him with a disbelieving face. The class had gone silent, even the Slytherins.

For the first time, Gabriel spoke. He smiled at the teacher calmly before facing James.

"The method of teaching in Hogwarts is different from how they teach in Durmstrang, James Potter." he said smoothly. "Besides, I did not get the chance to experience schooling at your age. Professor Teabing of the Ministry said I could use the experience. Also, I am offering to tutor to students of all levels… particularly _yours._"

An audible "ooh." came from the class.

"That's enough!" Slughorn boomed. "Five points from Gryffindor for that unnecessary comment, Mr. Potter. You will all be treating Mr. Savio with kindness and respect, and that means _all _of you! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Professor."

"Good."

(--)

**Okay, I know… late update. But come on! I've got stuff to do. I'm really sorry. Vacation is starting to end and it sucks. I'll be updating though, so don't lose hope on this story okay… Thanks!!! Love y'all! **


	12. Chapter 12

**So thanks to all who ACTUALLY REVIEWED!!! Just wanted to tell y'all once more that I look at the profiles of those who take the time to review, those who have this story on alert and those who have it in their favorites list. I've seen a lot of interesting people there… and some great writers too. Although others have nothing in their profile, oh well. **

**Shoutout to mah favorite brother, Christopher Gabriel…**

(--)

Lily watched as Frank's orange horse Patronus charged on the maroon wild boar. It was a very exciting match, as the stake was very high: the position of Speaker.

The position of Speaker could be gambled with too. Commentating is part of a member's training with their alumni masters. The Speaker usually had full knowledge of everyone else's pros and cons, making him very strong on the arena.

(--)

_Fourteen-year old Lily watched the game on the arena. Her excitement was almost impossible to bear as she observed her best friend fight off the periwinkle rhinoceros. Frank raised his hooves at the opponent, but seemed weak against the rhino's horns. _

_She silently prayed for Frank to win, for he was fighting for the title of Speaker. He decided on challenging the rhino called "River" who belonged to the present Speaker. He wanted to commentate so badly. He was very disappointed when McGonagall chose Ryan Jordan to commentate on Quidditch instead of him. _

_The rhino charged horns ready. Some people gasped as it almost got the horse on the stomach. Frank dodged it on time, galloping towards the other end of the arena. The rhino attacked, Frank dodged again. The cycle repeated itself again and again that some of the members began to boo. _

_Lily gazed at Frank. He was concentrating very hard on the game. Lily smiled behind his mask. Frank was always the epitome of calm. On the other side of the arena, the current Speaker whom Lily knew to be Tracey Lawrence of Ravenclaw, was losing focus. It was hard to maintain energy while attacking. Tracey should've known it by now._

_Even though it seemed like Frank had the upper hand, Lily was still dubious. There was a possibility that Frank still didn't know what to do to defeat the rhino. But then she remembered… it was Frank after all._

_The rhino attacked for the umpteenth time with a weaker force, probably expecting the horse to dodge again. The horse did, but it didn't go to the other end of the arena. Instead, it kicked the rhino's side with its hind legs. The rhino moaned and faced the horse, only to be kicked on the side once again. _

_Elamon was a blithe and speedy creature with very good endurance. River was physically strong and had a very dangerous weapon. The rhino only got to defend itself twice, but it didn't inflict much harm on the horse. Frank kicked until Tracey lost total concentration and couldn't keep up with him. _

_It didn't take long before the rhinoceros disappeared in a puff of periwinkle smoke._

_(--)_

Lily smiled at the memory. It had been a year since that time. A _year. _That length of time would not satisfy Frank.

The wild boar attacked and Frank defended with his hooves. The boar managed to stab him on the behind.

"Ooh…" exclaimed the audience.

Lily chuckled as orange smoke flared from Elamon's nostrils and the horse scraped a hoof against the ground just like matador's bull. It neighed loudly and then… stuck out its tongue.

Of course, Patronus holders couldn't really feel pain when their Patronuses get hurt. They only feel the loss of concentration. The gesture was just a taste of Frank's sense of humor.

Lily looked around the arena to see some people laughing over the horse's antics. Then her gaze fell on a certain Fracas member. He was not watching the game, but watching her… with dark violet eyes.

Lily narrowed her eyes. What was he doing there?

She took a deep breath and entered his mind, telling him to meet her right away. He only jerked his brows up and stealthily slipped off the bleachers. Lily imitated him.

Once they were in the entrance hall of the arena, Lily talked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am a member."

"_Was _a member."

"Well I'm back, whether you like it or not."

"You were from another school. Remember?"

"Well, I'm still part of Fracas, no matter which nation I'm from. I can enter any of the world's arenas. Besides, my seven-year membership has not expired yet."

"You can't be here. It's against the rules."

"How would you know?" The person advanced into her, so close that she could feel his breath from behind the mask. "My Master Alumni made me read the rule book, _my lord. _Besides, you have to let me in here to _protect _your_ identity_."

Lily fell silent. She knew she couldn't do anything. He was sent here to help her, so she couldn't just make him go away."

"Fine." she told him. "But behave yourself, Slimey."

"Sure thing Hotbreath."

(--)

"_Okay! So today, Savio Jr. will be joining us in training."_

_They were in the abandoned shack again. Jason promised her that she would experience her first real Patronus match. She had been preparing for this. She thought that she would finally be able to fight Jason._

_Apparently, she was wrong._

"_You will be fighting Gabriel this day. Go easy on him, okay."_

_Gabriel, who had just entered the shack, rolled his eyes on his father. "Your just making me fight her because you're scared that she would beat _you._" Then he looked at Lily and gave her a smile._

_Lily felt her cheeks go red, and momentarily cursed the weather for it._

_It had been a few days since she met her Master's son. He was sarcastically funny, witty, kind and ridiculously intelligent. Lily envied him. He seemed to be so… cool. And even though they were four years apart, he had no problem with talking to Lily. It was she who got nervous talking to him._

_Albeit the fact that Lily just met Gabriel, she already looked up to him._

_And this was her chance to show him what she's capable of._

"_Okay people! Wands at the ready… prrrrrrrrtt!"_

_Lily released her Patronus first, smirking inwardly as her Dragon came out of her wand._

_She smiled happily as Savio whistled at her form. "Now __**that's **__a Patronus."_

_He casually flicked his wand, and a dark violet light came out. _

_Lily's heart wouldn't slow down because of anticipation. What could his Patronus be? The light began to take shape. It was huge. It was magnificent._

_It was a slug._

_A huge purple slug with transparent purplish slime all over it and two antennae (AN: Is that what it's called?)._

"_Like it?" Gabriel asked her. _

_She turned to him, subconsciously aware that her mouth was open. Gabriel chuckled at her speechlessness. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"_

_Lily nodded, then snapped out of her trance. She shook her head and started to focus. _

_It was a slug, for Merlin's sake… A SLUG!_

_This was going to be easy._

_She charged on the gooey creature (AN: couldn't resist using the word) with her fangs. She bit him directly on what would be the slug's neck. She smiled as her teeth sunk into it. She dug her claws into the skin, making deep cuts._

_Then she got confused._

_The slug wasn't moving at all!_

"_You can't bite me, Hotbreath!" Gabriel said, grinning madly. Lily wondered how he could talk without losing concentration. "She's impenetrable!"_

_Impenetrable? Then what was she supposed to do?_

_She released the slug from her grip, pulling out the fangs and claws away from it. But there was one problem: she was stuck. She also realized that her Dragon was covered in the slug's goo. _

_She couldn't move._

_She looked at Gabriel. He was watching her with pure sadistic amusement. She hated that look. She couldn't just let him win._

_She unleashed what would be her secret weapon… fire._

_She breathed fire into the slug. It worked! She was released from the slug's stickiness and she also seemed to hurt it a little._

"_Brilliant, Lily!" she heard Jason cheer from behind._

"_Shut up, Dad!"_

_The slug started to attack her. Incredibly, it was spitting slime balls on her. _

_She dodged them momentarily, but got caught in the end. The slime made her immobile. She couldn't walk, move her tail or fly. She tried fire, but the slime had already suffocated the Dragon, making her lose focus. It didn't take long before her Patronus disappeared._

"_Nice job Lily!" Jason cried. "That was bloody brilliant!"_

"_No swearing!" said Gabriel. _

"_Aw, come on now son! Don't be such a sore loser."_

"_Er… dad, I just won."_

"_Whatever. Anyway, great job Lily! This calls for a celebration! Butterbeers for everyone! I'll go get 'em."_

_Sometimes, Lily wonders which of the Savio men were older._

_She looked at Gabriel and found him staring at her. She blushed and looked away._

"_You were great, you know." he said, sitting on one of the fallen beams. He patted a spot next to him, telling her to sit. She complied._

"_I lost." she muttered shamefully._

"_Hey, come on now, Hotbreath. Don't be put off because of that. That match was one of the best ones I've ever had!"_

_Lily looked at him. "Really?"_

"_Honestly!" he assured. "Other ruddy players don't manage to get pass the I'm-stuck-on-the-slug-with-goo part. That's actually the way I judge people. If they get pass that part, then they are really really good players."_

_Lily looked down and smiled, trying not to redden even more. _

_(--)_

Gabriel was the last to walk away from the arena that night. Frank's match had just finished. Elamon had managed to win against the boar.

Gabriel waited for everyone to disperse from the place until he was alone. He didn't want to interfere with anyone else's dismissal time, in fear of getting discovered.

Finally, he was the only one left. He blithely went out of the painting. After checking for any presences, he took off his mask and hood, made them disappear, charmed his eyes green and headed for his quarters.

Once he passed by the painting of the fruits (kitchen entrance). Then he felt something, something that was not supposed to be there.

(--)

James was under the invisibility cloak, trying to get to the kitchens. He was planning to check the Marauder's map in there. Since he couldn't go to the arena anymore, he thought that he might just check people's names in the map. He decided to come alone, since the other three thought that he was abandoning the Fracas. He was not leaving them out, he was just going to find out a few members, then he was completely abandoning the Fracas. He didn't want his friends to come with him, for he was scared that the Laedan, or whoever he is might find out. He didn't want the others to be blamed for his own curiosity.

Then he saw Gabriel Savio walking through the hallways. He was about to follow him, but the Auror stopped.

"You can come out now, Potter."

James was taken aback. How did he know? Hesitantly, he took off the cloak. There was no use trying to run away.

Gabriel looked at him. James half-expected him to say something negative, or threaten him or tell him to go back to his dorms. But instead, he walked up to him and smiled.

"I think we started off at the wrong foot." he said. Then he raised a hand. "Gabriel Savio."

James looked at his hand. Then his green eyes. "What are you really up to?" 

Gabriel raised his brows. "Er, I don't know? A truce, perhaps?"

(--)

Gabriel definitely felt the tension in this boy. The only question was why? Why was he so angry?

His hand remained unshaken. He was about to drop it until Lily popped out from behind.

"Gabriel, what are you still doing---"

She trailed off at the sight of James. Gabriel dropped his hand slowly. He sensed the tension getting stronger by the moment.

"What are _you _doing here, Potter?"

Gabriel looked at the boy. He was staring at Lily with those hazel eyes. But Gabriel sensed that something was wrong with him. His expression was not more of anger, just… sadness.

"Snitch out on me Evans." he said quietly. "I don't really care. I don't have time for this."

With that, he turned and walked away, and Gabriel just got a clue on what was going on. He looked at Lily, who was looking annoyed. She turned and walked away towards the opposite direction.

What was the boy doing in the middle of the night anyway?

Gabriel decided to take a risk.

(--)

_What you're looking for has finished already._

James froze on his tracks. He turned back to see Gabriel still standing there, twirling his wand in that oh so familiar way.

(--)

Remus was worried.

Several weeks have passed. The white blanket of snow outside got thicker everyday. The people in school adored Gabriel Savio each passing minute. Full moon was coming. They haven't decided whether they should stop their Fracas conquest. James was starting to act weird.

Once again, Remus was worried.

He decided to maintain his silence on the matter. He didn't really understand what was going on with James. For the past days, he seemed to be getting immature, and Sirius and Peter seemed to be following his path. He thought that it probably had something to do with Lily Evans. The two were still not talking. Remus wondered, however, why they have not reconciled yet, or why neither had made an attempt on apologizing. He hoped that they would patch things up in December, when everyone was supposed to be enjoying the holidays.

And he didn't want to lose his friend.

He snapped out of his thoughts and found himself hanging out in the Restricted Section with his friends. An unfinished Potions essay lay in front of him. He sighed. He couldn't write an essay when his thoughts were on something else. He shut in Potions book close and looked around. Peter was dozing off on a couch, a book on Pygmypuffs lay open oh his stomach. Sirius was examining his reflection on a wall mirror. James was playing with a stolen Snitch.

Remus watched the golden ball flutter away from James' hands only to be caught once again.

"You should really return that, you know." Remus said.

"Why should I?" James asked him, as if he proposed something stupid. "No one's going to use it yet."

"Yes, but they'll find out eventually."

"I'll be careful with it Moony. Don't act like a nagging old woman" James said, rolling his eyes. Remus frowned inwardly. The old James wouldn't say something like that.

Remus sighed and gazed around the room. His sight paused on Sirius's reflection. He was watching the conversation. Their eyes locked.

"Hey Moony," Sirius said. "Can you help me find a book in the main library?"

"Since when do you ever read?" James retorted.

"Sure thing Padfoot."

They went out through the passage, leaving a stunned James and a snoring Peter behind. They passed the walls in silence until they got into the Gryffindor common room.

"What happened to him?" Sirius asked as they made their way to the main library.

"Like I would know. You're the one who's being manipulated."

"Hey, I didn't know that it was manipulation when he made me turn Flitwick's pants transparent yesterday, or when he made me help him trip a dozen of first years last week, or when he asked me to..."

Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius always had a tendency to be slow when he was having fun. "Well, I have a strong feeling that it has something to do with Savio."

Remus looked at him. "Savio?"

"Yeah. I mean look at the guy. He's got everything James wants. He's strong, charismatic, influential, and an Auror. Not to mention he's got the attention of a certain redhead."

"Wait." Remus paused. "Are you saying that James is acting this way because he's jealous of Savio?"

"Jealous of me?"

The two boys quickly whipped around to find an amused Gabriel standing there.

"What are you doing here? asked Remus.

Gabriel scratched his head. "Well, the Plump Woman—"

"Fat Lady."

"Yes, well, the Fat Lady was feeling kind of peachy as she was snogging that Quidditch Player---"

"Okay! We get it!"

"Great! So will you tell me---"

"James is jealous of you because Lily likes you."

Gabriel raised his brows. "Really now." he said, folding his arms. He smiled. "Well that explains everything."

He shrugged and started walking away. "Oh and by the way," he said, turning back. "Will you tell me where McGonagall's office is?"

(--)

"Today, we shall be practicing Vanishing." McGonagall announced to the class, plus Gabriel who sat at his usual stool at the back. "You will be working on standard pewter cauldrons. When you're finished with that, conjure the cauldron once again and place a piece of leprechaun gold into it. Vanish it once more. Repeat conjuring, add more gold and do the steps again until you cannot Vanish the cauldron anymore. Questions?"

"What are the weights for?" James asked from his seat, not even bothering to raise his hand.

"Good question, Mr. Potter." the professor said. "Can anyone answer his question?"

Lily's hand shot out in the air. The teacher called on her.

"The heavier the object, the harder it is to Vanish."

"That is correct Ms. Evans. Now wands. You may proceed with your activity."

The class began to work on their cauldrons. Lily easily Vanished her empty cauldron. But once she reached five pieces of rectangular leprechaun gold bar, she began to have difficulty. Parts of her cauldron began to reappear seconds after she would Vanish it.

"Go James!"

"Wow! That's brilliant!"

Lily turned on her seat to see James Potter smirking arrogantly as he Vanished his cauldron. Lily couldn't help but get impressed. His cauldron was piled high with almost sixteen gold bars.

"That kid is good."

Lily turned to find Gabriel sitting beside her, watching James bask in glory after Vanishing the cauldron with seventeen bars.

"What are you doing here?" Lily hissed. "You're supposed to be in your seat."

"Live a little, Flower." he told her.

Lily frowned. "Can you not call me that?" she asked him.

"Why not? It suits you."

Lily shook her head. James used to call her that. She didn't really want to remember what they used to have, hell, she didn't know what they had anyway, so she might as well forget about it. She sighed and tried to Vanish her cauldron once more. It flickered for a moment but would not disappear. Lily groaned.

(--)

Gabriel studied his friend. She seemed to be bothered by the nickname Flower. He wanted to know why.

He turned back to the Potter boy, who was now on his twentieth bar. He was an excellent student, good athlete and he seemed to be a loyal friend; arrogant, but loyal.

Other students gasped as James succeeded on Vanishing his cauldron. Some people applauded. He seemed to enjoy the attention, bowing like some sort of performer. Gabriel caught his eye. James shot him a triumphant smirk.

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. That boy was cocky. Well, two could play that game.

He turned back to Lily, who was beyond frustrated with her five bars of gold. Most of the others had already reached eight or ten.

He looked over to Potter and waited until he was looking their way. Once he was, he checked on McGonagall, who was busy instructing Pettigrew. Gabriel couldn't wish for a better timing.

He sent a smirk back to Potter and began to work his magic.

(--)

James felt his stomach clench as he saw Gabriel come behind Lily and surround her with his arms to reach her hand and steady the cauldron. He smiled maliciously at James before placing his head beside Lily's, his lips inches away from her skin.

"James?"

Lily reddened at their position, yet did not pull away from him. She let her hand be guided with the correct wand movements by Gabriel.

"Prongs?"

He whispered something to her ear. She smiled.

"Oy James!"

James angrily jerked his head to the person calling him. "What?"

"Er, McGonagall is calling for you."

James sighed. "Okay."

He went up to his teacher, but did not really hear anything she was saying. He was deep in thought.

Could Savio be the Laedan? He fit the position. He was short (as James believed, even though he really wasn't), had green eyes, in the hallways at night, twirled his wand in that way and was possessive of a certain Flower. He could be it.

James, however, was confused. If Gabriel was Laedan, then what was it to him? It wasn't like he cared. He had given up on the Fracas already.

Then why did he feel so sad?

(--)

Gabriel grinned as he released Lily. He had finally confirmed it. James Potter liked Lily Evans.

"Hey Lily," he said as Lily placed her seventh bar into the cauldron.

"Yes?"

"What do you think of Potter?"

Lily instantly dropped her bar, causing it to clink loudly with the other bars in her cauldron.

"What?" she said, turning to him. "Er, why do you ask?"

Gabriel shrugged. "No reason."

Lily abandoned her work and faced him completely. "James Potter is an arrogant, bullying toerag who thinks that his fat head is so handsome and does some of the most idiotic things I've ever seen."

"Really now?"

"Really. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

Gabriel nodded and let her proceed.

He smirked inwardly as Lily didn't manage to Vanish any of her bars after that.

**Okay, I really like this chapter. Lots going on. As for your questions regarding the plot, I suggest you read on. I can't exactly tell you what's gonna happen, right?**

**laxrules18 – well, just wait and see**

**lilyre – uh-huh**

**Manny2003 – thanks a lot!!!**

**topy123 – OKAY, NOW I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME ONCE IN A WHILE TO BUG ME TO UPDATE! GEEZ!**

**hey-meredith – I really really appreciate it! Especially the part about my English… Thanks!**

**Once again, shout out to my brother Christopher Gabriel…Topy the House Elf… Gabriel the slug**.


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter is dedicated to my dear cuzzins, Tuh - racey (Good luck in high school!) and the **_**Malditang kulot, **_**Celina Daia.**

(--)

Lily stared at the ceiling a few nights after the Potions class. It had been a rather unusual week for her. Well, the year _had _been pretty weird. But a lot of things were happening at the moment that Lily couldn't tell if the situation was a problem or not.

First was James---- yes, he definitely was a problem. She didn't know if she had anything to do with his change of behavior… yes, Lily noticed that. He drowned himself in the spotlight, not missing a chance to be the center of attention. He also seemed to be testing his abilities when it came to girls. The old James was not like that, he was supposed to be popular without trying, be enjoying only the attention he gets behind the name of the Marauders. He was avoiding her now. But Lily caught him staring at her a lot of times after the night she saw him with Gabriel.

Gabriel… he was another one. Frank had admitted to her that he wrote Jason to send help over. Lily didn't blame him. She was aware of the fact that she was slowly blowing cover. She was thankful to Frank for writing Jason, but she never expected her Master to send his very own son.

However, Lily could admit that Gabriel did save her. Frank had informed her that the rumors about her being Laedan had stopped. Instead, people of the Fracas were talking about the possibilities of Gabriel being the leader. After all, he fit the position: very smart, magically strong, not very tall, had green eyes and had that habit of twirling his wand. But something about his presence in the school bugged her.

"Lily?"

Lily jerked her head to the direction of the whisper.

"Lily!" it called again.

She realized that it was coming from beside the bed so she drew back the hangings. Alice Prewett also had her hangings drawn.

"Alice?" Lily hissed. "Why are you still awake?"

He roommate smiled at her. "You kept on shifting on your bed. I couldn't help but hear your movements."

"Sorry." said Lily. "I'll put a Silencing Charm---"

"No need." Alice said. "All you have to do is tell me your problem so I could sleep knowing that at least I've been of some help to you."

"Oh." Lily smiled. "Er, thanks."

"So you what's the problem?"

"…"

"C'mon Lily. I won't be able to sleep even though it's only a pea under my mattress."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "You know Muggle stories?"

"Don't change the subject, Lily."

"…"

"It's about Gabriel isn't it?"

Lily looked at her. Even though it was dark, Lily could tell that she was wearing a knowing look on her face. "What made you think that?"

"Come on Lily. Everyone sees that you've been very… friendly to each other lately. Rumors have started going around, you know."

Lily frowned. "What rumors?"

"That you two are together; torn apart by age, distance and goals; destined by fate to meet at this enchanted---"

"Okay, I get it." Lily said. "But we're not together. We're just really good friends."

"Yes, but you're together all the time that even Frank feels like he should sit with me whenever Gabriel sits with you."

Lily's eyes widened. Come to think of it, she had talked less to Frank that week. "Merlin!" she gasped. "I totally didn't realize! I mean---"

"It's okay, Lily." Alice said. "Frank told me that he understands what Gabriel is trying to do… whatever that means."

Lily frowned once more. "What does that mean?"

"I just mentioned it, didn't I? I don't know."

Lily was left confused. Maybe it had something to do with Fracas, which explains why Frank couldn't tell Alice. But if it did, why would Gabriel tell Frank without telling her?

"He did mention something about James though." Alice continued.

"What?"

Alice chuckled. "If you ask me, I think Savio's trying to get Potter jealous."

Lily sat up. "What!"

"Shhhh."

"Sorry."

"Anyway, think about it, Lily." Alice said, sitting up herself. "James' head is starting to swell up right after that time when you cried. I didn't know what happened but this change likely has something to do with whatever fight you've had with him."

"But why should he be jealous? It's not like he really liked me. He was just using me!"

"Then why is he becoming so… arrogant all of a sudden?"

Lily was speechless. She didn't know. She let herself fall back onto the mattress and face the ceiling once more. "I really don't know what's going on."

"Then don't think." Alice said as she lay back on the bed. "Let things pass for a while. You know, watch what happens. If you feel that you finally have to do something then do something."

Silence ensued for a while as Lily pondered on Alice's advice. It was funny how she ended up being advised by someone she once thought to be dumb.

"Have I ever apologized to you for calling you a ditz?"

"No."

"Then I'm sorry."

"Sorry for calling you a bitch too. You should be thankful I'm letting Frank talk to me while you're busy with that new guy."

"We're just friends. And I see that it would be good if I don't talk to Frank for a while so you can have him all to yourself."

Lily felt a pillow crash on her face. She took it and held it tightly. "I'm not returning this."

"Well I guess I'm not returning Frank."

The two girls laughed as quietly as they could.

"Hey Alice,"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

"No problem, Lily."

Minutes later, the two finally fell asleep.

(--)

While the two girls were talking in their dormitory, Sirius was in the Restricted Section of the library alone in the dead of the night. Dozens of textbooks, parchment and empty ink bottles surrounded the table on which he was working on.

No, it was not a prank, nor a list of girls he dated that Sirius Black was making.

Sirius Black was studying.

Contrary to popular belief, Sirius was really concerned about his academic standing in Hogwarts, especially because he thought that he would not have a share in his family's wealth once he graduates. He needed a good job, and thus needed good grades. Just like Lily Evans or Frank Longbottom, or Remus he too was panicky about the O.W.L.s. He had followed the mentioned three in studying months in advance… only he did his work in the night, when nobody, not even his friends could see him. He didn't want anyone to think he's becoming a nerd.

After all, he was Sirius Black… and he had a reputation to maintain.

He looked out the window. Full moon had just ended. Remus had a hard time that night. It wasn't the same as always as his wolf side was more aggressive that time, especially with Prongs. For some reason, Remus attacked the stag more than the dog. It was as if he didn't recognize the stag anymore.

His thoughts broke off once he heard a slight noise from the main library. He quickly turned off his lamp and placed it inside a dusty cupboard they had installed. With his wand, he fixed up the mess and wrapped himself in James' Invisibility Cloak. With a flick of his wand, he made dust appear on the seats, the tables, and everything else, making it seem like it had not been touched for centuries.

A figure then entered the room. Sirius could not see who it was in the dark. But the silhouette told him that it was a student.

The person didn't do anything but hurriedly grab a book from one of the shelves and left.

Minutes later, Sirius took off the cloak and lit the tip of his wand. He looked around for a while, wary that the person might come back. Then he stepped on something. It was a Potions book that was lying open on the floor.

Sirius bent down and looked at the book. He didn't dare pick it up as the stranger might come back for it.

Weird. It had scribbles all around the margins and spaces between texts. The word _"Levicorpus - nvbl" _caught Sirius's eye. He carefully scanned the pages without lifting the book up. Another word caught his eye. _"Sectusempra – for enemies"._

Sirius frowned as he read on. There were tricks as to how to improve Potions and all. The book might be of some help to him in the future. He was about to take it until the small sound came back.

"_Knox!"_

He immediately placed himself under the cloak. Seconds later, the figure reappeared, but this time the person lit up his wand. It was Snape.

Sirius was tempted to hex him, but did not want to risk the Marauders' hideout. He let the Slytherin pick up his book and go away in peace.

He decided to take a break himself and preceded to Gryffindor tower, thinking about how to test Snivelly's new spells the next day.

(--)

Lily sat next to Frank on the Hufflepuff table for breakfast. Alice was right. He had been neglecting him lately.

"Wow." he said once Lily began to help herself to Hufflepuff food. "I never thought I'd see you here again."

"Aw, Frank. You know I'd never abandon you!"

Frank chuckled. "Oh really? So where's Gabriel?"

"He's in McGonagall's office, talking to his father on the Floo. He said it was 'official underground business that does not concern me at all'."

They ate in peace, talking about random things that they used to talk about. Lily liked having Frank around. She missed him a lot. It was just like old times.

Their peace was broken once a scream was heard through the hall.

They whipped around to see Regulus Black hanging up in the air by the leg. People all around, including Lily and Frank were laughing at the scene.

"Put him down!" Professor McGonagall cried through the noise. "Whoever did this, put him down!"

In an instant, Regulus fell on his seat with a loud thump. Everyone laughed harder. Regulus scampered away, red-faced.

"As much as I'm against hurting people for fun, that was funny." Lily said. "Who do you think could have done it?"

(--)

Frank looked around and his eye caught Sirius Blacks hand stealthily brushing the handle of his wand in his pocket.

"I don't know, Lils."

(--)

"_You are now entitled to serve the Laedan." Frank's Master told him as they were on the deck of a Wizarding cruise ship for the holidays. "You have to do everything that the Laedan commands."_

"_I understand."_

"_Speakers have always stayed by their Laedan's side until the end. If ever the Laedan gets defeated, they are responsible for recording the Laedan's names in the walls of the underground."_

"_But if the Laedans' names are engraved under the arena, then there is a possibility for the others to discover their identities."_

"_Ah, the Speaker is the only one who can read the names. If the Speaker gets defeated, all knowledge he has of identities are automatically erased from his mind. That is why you have to take care of your position… it's a very big responsibility. They are considered as the side kicks of the Laedans as they know all everything about the members."_

_Frank was taken aback. "Wow." he said slowly. "And I only wanted the position so I could commentate. I never knew it would be this hard."_

_The Master laughed. "Ah teenagers… so naïve."_

_Frank smiled. "Someday, I'm going to prove you wrong, Dad."_

(--)

"That was a nice spell you cast back there."

Sirius turned to see Frank Longbottom walking up to him as they made their way to Care of Magical Creatures. Sirius had dropped Divination and asked McGonagall if he could switch to another class. He didn't like Arithmancy, had no interest in Ancient Runes, so he chose Care of Magical Creatures.

Sirius smiled at the Hufflepuff. "Where's Evans? Wouldn't she be upset if she finds you talking to me?"

"You're trying to change the subject." Frank said bluntly. "But just so you know, she's heading to Arithmancy."

Frank nodded at Sirius's right where Lily was talking to Gabriel Savio amicably while walking away.

"So _that's _why you've been hanging out with Alice a lot lately. I'd have to say, mate, nice catch."

Frank smiled. "About that spell…"

Sirius noted the very good segway to change the subject. But he decided to buy it nonetheless. "I saw it from Snivelly's book."

Frank looked surprised. "Really? You've been sharing stuff with each other? Now look who's getting chummy."

Sirius laughed. "Knock it off, Longbottom, or I might try that spell on you." They reached the edge of the forest. "He dropped it and I took a peek. I also saw this spell '_Sectusempra' _on it. It said 'for enemies' so I haven't tried it on anyone yet. I reckon it might be something big."

The class started and Frank sat beside the Marauder. They ended up being paired up in collecting venom out of a baby giant spider. Once they were instructed to start, Frank had an idea.

"Why don't we use the spell on this thing?" he asked Sirius, pointing at the dog-sized spider in front on the ground in front of them with its legs tied up.

Sirius looked surprised. "You're willing to risk your grade for this?"

Frank shrugged. "Well yeah. I'm curious of what Snape has made too."

"Oki doki!" Sirius said gleefully and began to advance towards the spider. It twitched against the bonds, trying to get away.

"_Sectusempra!"_

(--)

Sirius watched in horror as the spider's body split in half across the abdomen. He looked at Frank. He too, was caught off guard.

"I think that… was a bad idea."

"What's this?" Professor Kettleburn said as the old man trotted over to them. Then he saw the creature lying dead, cut in half in front of them. "What happened?"

The two boys couldn't answer. They were too shocked at what they did.

"YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO COLLECT VENOM!" The teacher bellowed. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KILL IT IN A HUMANE WAY! TWENTY POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR AND HUFFLEPUFF! YOUR HEADS WILL BE INFORMED OF THIS."

The two boys didn't say anything as the teacher went away. Most of the other students were looking at them now.

"Wh--- what happened?" Frank muttered.

"I don't know." Sirius said. "That curse…"

"… was what was used against Lily." Frank continued. Sirius looked at him in confusion. "It was what hit Lily back at the pitch."

(--)

James dove on his broom in the Quidditch pitch, aware of the girls watching him goggle-eyed on the stands. He released the Snitch from his pocket, gave it a minutes head start and started to look for it once more, performing Quidditch tricks in the process to impress the swooning females.

He knew that everyone was wondering about his new behavior. And he knew that his friends (except probably Peter) felt indifferent about it. But after what happened to him and Lily, he had promised himself that he'd never be the same guy who stupidly asked her out to get something anymore. She didn't want him to apologize so he wouldn't _be_ the type to apologize. So James Potter took a risk and changed who he was.

And he had fun.

In his logical side of the head, he thought that it was for the best of him, mainly because he was starting to like the attention. He never knew how popular he was until then, didn't realize how many girls were lined up in front of him and how many of them would do anything to get a date with him.

His other side of the head told him to stop, because his friends were slowly inching away without him realizing it. But then again, that side of the head was just a subconscious.

Then there came Savio. At the moment, he was the bane of James' existence. Even though he'd never say it in public, James knew that he himself was jealous. Savio was always steps ahead of him. Everyone liked the guy, even the teachers praised him endlessly.

James narrowed his eyes. He gripped the handle tightly and rounded the pitch a few times. Then he saw the Snitch. But it wasn't up in the air.

It was at the end of the pitch, in the hands of someone else.

He glared and dove down, landing a few feet in front of the person.

"Looking for this Potter?"

"Give it here, Savio."

The older guy chuckled and held the struggling Snitch tightly. "Not until you let me talk to you."

James glared at him. "Keep it." he said coldly. "I don't want to talk to the likes of you." He was turned away and was about to head back until he felt a firm grip on his shoulder.

"I'm afraid that was not a request, _James." _Gabriel told him in a low voice.

James looked at him as Savio walked towards the Forbidden Forest. He considered for a while and finally followed after him. They went on walking in silence until they reached a clearing.

"You know we shouldn't be here." James told him coolly.

"We can't be overheard here."

"So what are we doing here?"

"I want to talk to you."

"About Lily? If it's about her then I don't have to---"

"About the Fracas."

The phrase made James pause and stare at him. "How did you know about that?"

"I'm a member." Savio told him calmly. "I was a member back in Durmstrang and I still am."

"They have it in Bulgaria too?"

"They have it everywhere Potter. And since I know that _you're _not a member, how did you know about it?"

James shrugged. "Found an alumnus's invitation and began to look for it with…"

"With what?"

James shook his head. "Nothing." he didn't want his friends to get caught up in it.

Savio smiled at him. "It's very noble of you to leave your friends out of this."

James looked at him. "How did---"

"You showed them to the Laedan and Speaker, remember?"

James mentally slapped himself. He totally forgot. But then only the Laedan and Speaker were there. Did one of the two tell Savio about the meeting? Or maybe…

"Anyway," Gabriel continued. "If the invitation you found was an alumni's then that person should've trained you. Do you know who the alumnus is?"

James looked away. "My Mum." he said. "She died before she was supposed to train me."

"Oh," Gabriel said quietly. "I'm sorry."

James breathed deeply and looked him in the eye. "Look here. You don't need to talk to me about keeping it a secret, okay. I mean, me and my friends… we've already abandoned the Fracas after Li… something bad happened."

Savio smirked at him. "Is that something the reason why you're being what you are right now?"

James glared at him. "Look here. I don't know what you're trying to do, okay. But please just leave me and my friends out of it."

Gabriel twirled his wand in one hand, emitting sparks. "I'm just doing my job, James." he said. "And I'm trying to protect Lily."

James stared at him, or rather his wand. "Don't worry about that." he said. "I'll make sure what I did won't happen again."

He turned and walked away, leaving the Auror behind.

(--)

Before the students knew it, the year reached the holidays and everyone was merrily Christmas shopping in snow-covered Hogsmeade.

"So," Gabriel said, sitting down beside Lily in the Three Broomsticks. Frank had stayed behind, probably doing something with Alice. "Any plans for the hols?"

"I'm going to France with the Family." Lily answered, sipping her butterbeer. "I can't get out of it this time. Mum said that it would be our 'last trip as a family' since Tuna is getting married."

"Your sister's getting married?"

"Yup… to a walrus named Vernon Dursely. You should've seen the guy! He's got triple chins!"

"Isn't Petunia too young to get married though?"

"Well she insisted. Mum and Dad were skeptical at first but when they found out that Dursley had this drilling company and is quite well-off, they said yes. How about you? Are you going home?"

"No. I'm going to stay here. I've got to finish a bunch of thesis papers."

"Thesis?"

"Well the Ministry expects me to do well so I need to do a bunch of papers just to prove that I'm --- hey, I have to go do something… I'll come back in a second, all right?"

"Er, fine."

Gabriel dashed out before she could even say goodbye. "That was weird."

(--)

James was gazing up at the window display of Tristan Antique Shoppe a few premises from the pub. He was walking down the streets of Hogsmeade with his random date and the girl went off somewhere to meet a friend. It was probably rude of her to leave him, but James didn't care at all.

He was staring at the things available in the shop, wondering what he should get for his father.

(--)

_James woke up in the middle of the night after hearing a loud crash from the floor above. He quickly put on his glasses, took his wand and went upstairs._

"_Dad?" he called. "Dad, where are you?"_

_Nobody answered. Instead, he heard a sob from behind his father's bedroom. Without hesitation, he opened the door. He saw his father on the floor, lying in a curled position, sobbing uncontrollably. Shards from a broken firewhisky bottle were scattered on the ground._

"_Dad!" James ran over and crouched down to him. "Dad. What's wrong?"_

"_What's going on here?" Sirius asked groggily from the door, then sobered after seeing the scene in front of him. "I'll get the Sleeping Draught." he said, walking away._

_His father didn't answer, but continued to cry miserably. But it was not like James needed an answer. He already knew the problem._

_His Dad tried very hard to conceal his emotions after the funeral. It had been almost a year already. He practically threw himself to work. James barely saw him in the house during the summer. His letters to him were very formal and serious. James had tried to talk to him about his mother, but his Dad was always tight-lipped about her. It seemed like he had reached his breaking point that night._

"_Repairo!" James chanted at the broken bottle. "C'mon Dad. Let's get you to bed." James hoisted the man up and made him lie down on the bed. The man was still crying and muttering._

"_I'm sorry… It's my fault…"_

"_Dad, you're drunk."_

"_I didn't… I didn't… come… time."_

"_It wasn't your fault Dad. Get some sleep, okay."_

"_Cathy?"_

_James felt a wave of sadness. He didn't know what to do. His Dad was the only family he had now. He couldn't lose him too. He felt his vision blur._

"_It's going to be fine, Dad." James whispered. "We'll be fine." _

(--)

At the present, Mr. Potter seemed to have regained his normal self. James was glad that he was able to move on, even though James would often catch him staring at his mother's portrait from time to time with a glass of firewhisky at hand. He was proud of his Dad.

"Christmas shopping?"

He looked at the person beside him and turned back to the window. "What do you want, Savio."

Savio gasped sarcastically. "Is it a crime to greet you a Happy Christmas or strike small talk?"

"Well, if it is with me, then yeah."

The Auror actually laughed. "I'm not here to ask you for anything. Just wondering if you need help in choosing a present for the old man himself."

James couldn't help but shake his head. "You know for someone who had threatened me before _and _just used Legilemency on me, you seem to be so friendly all of a sudden."

"Well, since you've been cleared of all suspicion with regards to my, er, suspicions… well, what I mean is since you're not under my radar anymore, I guessed that I can talk to you in a friendly way."

"What's a radar?"

"Er, never mind. Now that silver quill over there looks promising." Savio said, pointing at the expensive-looking quill with a metallic nib at the end.

"Nice one." James commented.

"So you'll take it?"

James looked at him warily. Taking the quill for his Dad meant that he would be forming some kind of truce with the Auror. James thought that it might not be such a bad idea, but then he decided against it.

"No." he said coldly. "I know I can do better than that."

Savio sighed. "Fine." he said in a suddenly cold voice. "I should go… _Lily _is waiting for me."

James glared at his back as the Auror walked towards the Three Broomsticks. How he _hated _the guy.

He stood there for a while until his date, what's-her-name began to call for him. He rolled his eyes and turned to the girl with an insincere smile that he had on for the rest of the day.

(--)

**Just so youknow, I got the slug idea from the Anime Naruto, which I absolutely adore. They get to summon these ginormous creatures: frog, snake and slug. I got the slug because it was the most unexpected one (and it's pretty funny too). And the slug in Naruto is pretty cute in its own way (the one who summons it is a female).**

**Anyway, school is starting next week (sucks for me) so forgive me if updating is a bit delayed. I am writing as many chapters as I can at the moment so that all I have to do in the future is post.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Okeiz!!! First of all, I am deeply DEEPLY sorry for some errors regarding the past chapters. Just so you know, I don't have the books here with me so I am relying mostly on my memory…**

**I'd like to thank my cousin Tuh-racey for beta-ing my other chapters. As of now, I can't send her this one because she won't tell me her frickin' e-mail add (grrrr…). So Tuh-racey, e-mail me!!!**

**ENJOY!**

Frank closed the thick book in front of him in frustration. "There's nothing here."

"Nothing here, either." Sirius said, closing his own book. "This curse must be very rare, or it could be new."

"Well I've never heard of it. Even Professor Yap couldn't place it. Oy Peter! Any luck so far?"

The small boy got out from behind an enormous bookshelf with a dozen or so books on offensive and defensive spells. He laid the heavy in front of Sirius, who frowned at the amount of texts.

"I wrote to all DADA professors we've had in the past. They didn't know anything about it either." Remus said, entering the room.

"You look pale, Remus." Frank said. "Are you okay?" He just nodded.

The three boys were in the Restricted Section, researching on the newly- discovered curse. There could be a particular pureblood family that uses it all the time. Or perhaps it could be some secret weapon in a particular war. Unfortunately, the curse didn't seem to be well-known.

Frank sighed and laid back on his seat. He decided not to let Lily or Gabriel know about the curse. Lily would insist that he present the discovery to the school board to clear his name totally. But then if he does that, they would question him on how he came to know the spell, and that would involve Sirius and the other Marauders. Gabriel would probably uncover the Marauders' identities, as he was not really fond of James.

Although it was a little awkward at first, he was glad to have the other three boys help him. They decided that it was best for James not to know, since he would stop them from helping Lily. But Frank appreciated the fact that they wanted to help her.

He leaned back towards the pile of books and began to search for the curse once more.

"This is insane." Sirius sighed. "Snape must have found that curse in some Dark Arts library or something."

"You could check your house."

"And get my head bitten off by Mum's portrait? No thanks. Besides, most of the library burned down last year when Mum had a fit… too much power when she burned me off that ruddy family tree."

"You were blasted off the tree?" Frank asked.

"Yup." Sirius said proudly. "I am now officially disowned. I'm living with James until I come of age."

"Good for you." Frank said before looking out the window. "It's almost dark by the way."

"Yeah, it is." Remus said. "We better get out of here before James comes back from his date. Besides, I'm beginning to feel this is useless."

"Yeah," Peter said. "I mean, what if Snape invented the spell? Then that means it's not here."

The three boys stared at him. "What?"

Remus smiled. "You're a genius Pete."

(--)

"_Ah, you're here."_

_James paused at the door of his father's study. _

"_Good evening, Mr. Potter." a light voice said. "I see that you're doing well."_

"_Ah, yes. It was all hard, but my son and I managed to pull through."_

_James listened on. He must be talking about his Mum's death._

"_That's good to hear."_

"_Yes it is. How are the others by the way."_

_James frowned. What others?_

"_Mr. Longbottom almost didn't make it." the stranger's voice said. "His wife and son were taken hostage."_

"_Yes, we were there. They were lucky to escape that. Poor boy… had to endure two Unforgivables. I am impressed though. He didn't seem to get hurt that much. They say he even endured the Cruciatus without screaming."_

_James raised his brows. A Hufflepuff managed to do that? He vowed to give them more respect in the future._

"_Well anyway," the stranger said. "I am here, concerning your son."_

_James perked up his ears. What could he want with him?_

"_Ah, James." He heard his father say. "I'm sure he'll say yes. That's how my son is. But you see…"_

_Silence followed. James wondered if his father trailed off or if they had discovered him and decided to stop talking. He was about to leave until the stranger spoke._

"_I see. I understand completely, Mr. Potter. Any good parent would do so, especially during these hard times."_

_James frowned. What could they be talking about? What could he say 'yes' to? Could "these hard times" mean the war?_

"_I'm sorry." his father said._

"_Don't be, sir. I understand that what you're doing is for the safety of your son. Even we admit that it is hard to keep up under such circumstances. Goodbye, Mr. Potter."_

_James heard the fire roar from inside the room, signaling the departure of the stranger._

_(--)_

"Have a good trip, Jamesy!"

"Get me a souvenir, okay!"

"Write me!"

"Open my present first when Christmas comes!"

James managed to pull away from the group of girls chasing him on his way to the horseless carriages. He was exhausted in trying to pry them away. He cursed his friends (who were all staying) for insisting on saying goodbye in their dorms instead of seeing him off in the Entrance.

He finally managed to enter a carriage, but unfortunately for him, it was not empty.

"You have ten seconds to get out, Potter."

Lily Evans was looking cross on the seat in front of him.

James groaned. "Look Evans, I have no intention to get out of this carriage so you'll just have to bear with me until we get to the station."

"I was here first!"

"Well I'm not getting out of here, so stop yapping."

(--)

Lily gagged at him. How dare he? She got to the carriage first. She shook her head, got out a Muggle novel and began to read, ignoring him completely.

Her luck seemed to continue as Potter's fan club was still calling for him.

"I'm sorry, I can't… of course I'll take your present… no, I'm afraid it's far… I dunno. I'll ask Sirius… I'm sorry, what's your name again… no, the Tower of Piza is not in France…"

Lily sighed and watched him grimly.

He had become so cocky all of a sudden. She hated it! She hated _him_!

Minutes later, the carriage finally moved.

"What?" James asked seeing that she was staring at him grimly. He smirked. "Jealous Evans?"

Lily fake smiled at him. "In your dreams Potter."

(--)

"Never in my life have I imagined myself doing this." said Frank as he magically tied up a water balloon with his wand in the Restricted Section.

"Well, we're out of one manpower at the moment," Sirius said. "So we called on you. Besides, Snivellus is one of our prime suspects regarding the Sectusempra curse."

"Then why bomb the whole Slytherin Common Room?"

"Snivellus is only _one _of the suspects." Remus said as he tied a balloon of his own. "94 says that the suspect is from Slytherin."

"What about the other 6?" Peter asked.

"It falls upon the other house, particularly Hufflepuff."

"Why my House?"

"Because it's what we least expect, mate." Sirius said, shrugging. "Besides, they have a reputation for being scary on the inside."

"Yeah, you should see Carlo Brown do that Bat Bogey Hex."

Frank flinched. "Yeah, I already saw that."

(--)

_Frank ran along the halls as quietly as he could as Elamon. Lily was going to _kill _him! He fell asleep over homework and was 17 minutes late already. It also didn't help that it was his first night as Speaker._

_He was only a few meters away from the painting. A few more steps to go._

_Then suddenly out of nowhere, bats began to attack him on the face._

"_Arrgh! Gerroffme!"_

_After a few minutes passed before the Hex was lifted._

"_Who are you?" a mildly hesitant voice said._

_Frank touched one of the multiple scratches on his face. Then he realized that his mask had been torn off. He quickly covered his face with his hands, showing only his eyes._

_The other person's flesh-tinted irises seemed to express shock as he saw that he had just attacked the Speaker._

"_Milord," he addressed, bowing down. "I apologize---"_

"_It's quite alright, Cel." Frank said from behind his hand, concealing himself from the newbie Fracas member. "It was my carelessness that led to this. I should've sensed presence first. But I seem to lack a mask now. Do you happen to have an extra?"_

_Cel shakily reached in underneath his cloak and produced an extra mask. "I am really sorry."_

"_Frank turned around and wore the mask. "You should not be. Has the match started already?"_

"_No, the Laedan is waiting for you."_

"_Ah good."_

_Frank led the way into the painting. He glanced at the other person beside him. "It would be helpful if you don't use that hex in your folds and veil." he told Cel. "You are quite famous for that."_

_Cel stared at him. "You know who I am?"_

"_Of course, I am Speaker." Frank told him, smirking behind his mask. "Congratulations though. If I were just any other person, it would have scared me away."_

(--)

Frank smiled at the memory. He was quite proud of what he had done. Carlo Brown was now prefect, and his confidence had increased since that day.

"What are you smiling about?" Peter asked him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Nothing."

"Is it Alice?"

"Peter!" Sirius gasped sarcastically. "Don't bring up such sensitive topics."

"Sorry."

A short silence ensued as the four filled up more balloons.

"So is it true that you two snog every night in the 4th floor broom closet?"

"Sirius!" Remus said. "Shame on you… so did you really take her to the Forbidden Forest and snog her _there_?

Frank raised his eyebrows. "Er… we're just friends."

"Right, and Peter did not stop wetting his bed until he turned six."

"Hey!"

"Anyway, don't give us that 'we're just friends' line because it's pretty obvious that she' likes you."

Frank frowned. "She does?"

"Yeah. I mean, don't you realize that she had actually stopped her dating routine---?"

"Or that she keeps on giving you those side glances---" Remus interjected.

"And the way she twirls her hair when you're around?" Peter added

"So you see, she's absolutely smitten." Sirius said, smirking upon him before accidentally popping one balloon.

Frank stared at them. "Oh."

Remus chuckled. "How eloquent."

Frank frowned. "Why won't she tell me then?"

The three boys looked at him as if he was naked. "Frank, my boy!" Sirius cried exasperatedly. "A female's confession is something that cannot just get out there like a bunch of fireflies at night… do you understand?"

"What Sirius is trying to say is that it's not that easy for girls to tell boys their _feelings._" Remus said, air-quoting the last word. "They have to decide on the right time,"

"The right place,"

"The right aura,"

"The right stuff to wear,"

"Whatever… so anyway, the way to get her to confess is to date her."

Frank's eyes widened.

"Don't tell me you've never asked a girl out before."

"…"

"Wow. Even Peter has surpassed him."

"Hey!"

"So go ask her out."

(--)

**A/N: I've never actually been to France (it's in my places to go list), so I can't really write a lot of French things in here… so I'll write it in the most convenient form I could think of. Amen? Good.**

(--)

Lily was having the time of her life… sarcastically speaking. She was on top of some inn in a small town of France. It wasn't that the place wasn't fascinating. She found France beautiful, it was just the company that she loathed.

They've been all over the country, but since they hit Paris, Lily knew that it would not be as enjoyable as it first seemed… and Paris was their first stop.

Petunia, who preferred shopping and boys over historical landmarks, had quietly slipped away from the rest of the family to go with a random guy downtown. Wait 'til Vernon hears about that.

Her parents had met some rich bloke in their inn's lobby and they were in the middle of a business proposal for the past few days. She should've known that their work would get in the way, even though she had made them promise not to let it.

"This is important, dear." her Mum told her. "We'll never have this chance anymore."

Lily rolled her eyes and stared out into the view from the window of the lobby. Everything was covered in snow. Lily wondered why her family chose that country to go to in December. It was just as cold as it was back home. She sighed and vowed to visit France again, perhaps in a summer, when she comes of age.

And she'd make sure she'd be there with someone else other than her family.

She glanced at the spot where her parents were conversing animatedly with an older man. Oh look! Her Dad even had his laptop on.

She rolled her eyes. She desperately wanted to get out… but to where? She didn't feel like getting lost that day. She wasn't in her daring mode.

It wasn't until someone sat beside her when she stopped glaring at the flower vase on the coffee table in front of her.

"Wow." the person said. "I guess our parents managed to find each other."

She looked to her right to see the person who would complete her horrible holiday.

"Potter?" she cried. "What are you doing here?"

James smirked at her. "I'm here with Dad." he said casually, jerking his head to where her parents and the man were sitting. "And I can see that you're here with family too."

Lily groaned. "This is not a holiday," she muttered. "This is Hades."

James laughed. "It's not so bad." he said. "I get to roam around freely."

Lily snorted. "Speak for yourself."

They sat down there for a while, not talking to each other. Lily didn't have the energy to fight him. And it appeared like he sensed that.

He was wearing Muggle clothing, and it also appeared that he just came from outside. His clothes actually made him look like a normal Muggle teenager, and even though Lily had seen him in those kinds of clothes before, she had just noticed how… normal he looked.

"Staring at me now?"

Lily just looked away and sighed.

"Come on." James said, standing up.

"What?"

"Let's go somewhere." He held out his hand.

"You actually think I'd go with you?"

James sighed. "Come on Lily. It's Christmas. People around the world get along at this time of the year."

Lily looked at his hand, then at his eyes. He seemed decent enough, and he was right.

"Fine," she said. She got up, but did not take his hand. James merely shrugged it off. She headed to where their parents were sitting.

"Excuse me," she said, interrupting the conversation. "Mum, can I go out for a while?"

"But honey, you don't know the place."

"That's okay." the man, Mr. Potter said. "My son James here will show her around."

"Okay dear." Mr. Evans said. "Be careful okay, and be back early."

"I will dad." She turned to James. "Let me get my coat."

James nodded and watched her get up the stairs.

Lily pondered on her situation. How could James Potter be in France with her? Was it just a coincidence? Or maybe he decided to stalk her and pretend that the man was actually his father or something? Lily laughed at the idea. Potter was an idiot, but he wouldn't do _that._

And then she remembered something while they were in the carriage. One of the girls mentioned France… so he _was _scheduled to go there, just like her.

She shook her head and grabbed her coat from her room and got back. When she did, she saw James talking animatedly to her parents.

Lily sighed. They were probably telling James about their numerous business ventures. She headed there way.

"… and of course we need electricity in almost everything we do: at home, at work, in school… or even outside. It's a part of our world that we need on a daily basis."

Lily found that James was genuinely interested in what her parents were saying. She couldn't believe that James and her parents were actually talking to each other pleasantly.

"Lily, dear." her mother called when she approached. "You never told us James here is a schoolmate of yours!" 

"Sorry Mum… slipped my mind." Lily drawled on. "We'll be going, okay."

"All right honey. You be careful, and don't be out too late."

Mr. Potter smirked at his son. "You be careful too, _James_."

James turned to him and smirked back. "Don't worry about us, _Daddy. _Good day Mr. and Mrs. Evans."

The two walked out of the inn and into the streets of the town. It was a relatively cheery place. Restaurants and fashion boutiques lined the streets. People were merrily chatting with each other. There were lots of smiled despite the cold weather.

"Where exactly are you taking me to?" Lily asked James.

"Ardodouille."

Lily frowned. "Where?"

"Ardodouille. It's the Wizarding part of town."

(--)

It was the usual day in the Slytherin dungeons and the ones who had decided to stay in the school for the holidays were lazily lounging in their Common Rooms. None of them knew anything about the havoc that would ensue. Everyone ignored the sound of their antique grandfather's clock announcing the arrival of the third hour of the afternoon.

The third and last 'dong' from the clock sounded and it was followed by a very audible _'FLOP' _on the ground.

Everyone turned to see a smashed water balloon on the floor. It was followed by another one, and another one…

Everyone ran for cover. Some of them shrieked as the water balloons kept on crashing down. It was indeed a humorous sight to see the usually stiff and cold Slytherins shout and run for cover or hide under tables.

After five minutes, the water balloons stopped. It was strange though.

Nobody got hit.

After a tense silence, everyone began to come out of their cover. Then Regulus Black started to laugh. Everyone else, being the dogs of the highest ranking pureblood around, followed.

The clock announced the end of another five minutes; a loud rumbling began to sound from above their roof. Some people looked up. Seconds later, a whole ton of water heavily poured down from above.

A startled Professor Slughorn exited his office and went into the Common Room to find his students, the furniture and the expensive green and silver carpeting all wet.

He was about to ask what happened until he saw the water on the rug begin to dry up in an unusually rapid way. Moments later, it began to form letters on the ground.

_Happy Christmas to our DEAR Slytherin comrades… and also Professor Sluggy!_

_-The Marauders_

(--)

As much as Lily hated to admit it, she was having a good time spending with James.

James showed her around the Wizarding part of town, something that Lily had always been hoping to see. Most of the shops there were very expensive, but there were a few which were affordable.

It was very awkward to be with James, especially at the moment when Lily thought she was not supposed to talk to him. But he insisted on striking up small talk occasionally and Lily had no choice but to talk back. She didn't want to ruin her holidays any further. She hated to admit it, but Potter was right. Christmas Eve was approaching and she'd spare him the rudeness for the time's sake. She was actually surprised that James was trying to be pleasant, despite her sulking. But she found herself being thankful that he didn't mention anything about the fight they just had. Even though neither of them apologized yet, they were acting decent enough, and for the time being, Lily was satisfied with that.

"The Wizarding part of France has a very high standard of living." James explained to her as they ate dinner in an exquisite restaurant (James' treat albeit Lily's protests). "My cousin from Beuxbatons visited England once and she went on quite a shopping spree because she said things there were 'very cheap'."

"I never thought your family was the type to go panic buying." Lily said.

"Well you'd be surprised how financially practical my family is. My Dad snags every good business sideline he could find."

"Sideline?"

James nodded. "He's was the former Head Auror of the Ministry. He decided to retire once he hit 65."

Lily choked on her food and hurriedly drank some water. Some of the other customers looked at her. James was smirking.

"65?" Lily cried. "He's that old?"

"Actually that was two years ago. Right now he's 67, even though he oftentimes says he's only 30."

Lily gaped at him. She knew that his Dad seemed to be old, since all of the hair on his head was gray. But she thought that it was just some sort of hormonal thing and not actually old age that caused it. James chuckled.

"My parents had me late you see. That's why I'm an only child. My Mum and Dad took a long time to get married because my grandparents were against the marriage."

"Why?"

James gave her a small smile before answering. "Mum was Muggle-born."

Lily paused and stared at him. "Oh. Well… your Dad is nice."

"Yeah, he is."

"You two seem pretty close. I wish I could be _that _close to my parents. All they do is work." she looked out the window. "I wish my parents would notice me too someday."

James grinned. "You can be, you know. All you have to do is throw away your house's electricity so they can't do things anymore."

Lily laughed. "You can't just throw electricity, Potter."

James was confused. "Why not?"

"Because it's intangible. You're just as clueless as Gabriel was when I mentioned radar to him."

James didn't say anything. Lily noticed that his grip on his silverware tightened a little at Gabriel's name. The two ate in silence for a while. It seemed clear that James didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Then, after a pregnant pause, Lily couldn't help but ask him a question.

"So… where's your Mum?"

James finally softened up and smiled. "I'll take you to her after we eat."

Once they had finished eating, James took Lily to the French branch of Flourish and Blotts, which didn't really give them anything for the books were all French. Both knew the basics of the language, yet they still had a hard time in reading the old books which had a lot of words they didn't know. The two spent their time their, not reading but ridiculing the French language behind the bookkeeper's back. Lily also had fun when she was taken to the pet store, where she was introduced to a lot of new species that she had only read about, but never seen. They also went to a sweets shop, which had a lot of weird food that were hard to pronounce. Then they found themselves gazing at shop windows with interesting displays.

It was quite dark already. Once they had already gone to all the premises of Ardodouille, yet ended up buying nothing at all. James led her up a hilly road, which was empty except for them and a series of leafless trees lining the road. Their path was lit up by several magical lamp posts emitting misty light.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked him as they climbed up the steep hill. It had been five minutes since they started climbing and her stamina was starting to give away.

James noticed her discomfort and sheepishly took her hand in his before proceeding, but he didn't look her in the eye. He could feel the color rise to his cheeks. "I want to introduce you to someone." he said quietly.

Half of Lily wanted to take her hand away. She wasn't supposed to be having _fun_ with him in the first place. Yet the other half of her prevented her from doing so, and it wasn't just because she was tired.

They finally reached a less steep part of the hill and began to walk slowly. But then, Lily saw where they were headed. She stopped and let go of his hand. James turned to face her.

"There is no bloody way I'm going there." she said, not tearing her gaze away from the area.

James smiled softly. "I assure you, Evans, everything is all right." he reclaimed her hand and tugged her gently. She didn't move. James looked at her pleadingly. "Please."

"No."

"Why not? Don't tell me you're scared."

"I'm not! It's just that it's dark and the back of my mind tells me you'll do something disrespectful to the dead."

"Lily, it's just a cemetery, and I promise I won't do anything to you or disrespect the dead." James tugged her once more. Lily sighed and let him lead her towards the burial grounds.

The place was the typical cemetery, and it looked extra creepy in the twilight. Lily was not scared of the place. She was just not comfortable being with… dead people. She, like most beings, believed that a body without a life is of course, also lacking a soul. And she didn't like the idea of being near things that once had life and were now merely empty shells six feet underneath the ground.

They began to pass by epitaphs and tombs under huge enigmatic trees and angelic statues. Most of the epitaphs were in French, there were a few in English and some had moving images carved on their tombs.

They finally stopped at the very edge of the cemetery, where a single white tombstone stood under an elegantly grown oak tree. A small child-like carving of an elephant was raising its trunk up and down at the top of the inscription. There were no flowery words, no other design, and even no date. The words were just simply etched on the marble.

_Catherine Potter_

_Beloved mother and wife_

_Most treasured and loyal friend_

Against the soft sound of the wind, Lily heard James whisper softly.

(--)

"Hi Mum."

James could feel Lily's gaze upon him. He managed to give her a small smile.

"This is Lily."He said as he looked at his companion's emerald irises.He looked back at the tombstone. "I told you she was beautiful."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl beside him blush against the darkness. She looked away. He heard her whisper softly to him.

"You didn't tell me."

James just smiled at her and squeezed her hand, which she didn't seem to realize, was still in his. "I didn't want you to know."

"Why not?"

"Because if I told you, you wouldn't come here with me."

Lily looked at him. "Why do you want me here, anyway?"

James sighed. The girl asks too many questions that it was almost exhausting to come up with an answer. He raised his hand to ruffle his hair, much to Lily's obvious irritation. "Because I want you to meet her."

"Meet her?" Lily said exasperatedly. "She's dead James!"

Her words hit James like a slap on the face. He looked at her sadly.

Lily seemed to realize her mistake as her expression softened. "I'm sorry, James." she whispered. "I really am. I'm so—"

"It's okay." James whispered, looking away. He looked at the ground. What could he have done that made her say that? "Come on. Let's get back."

He walked past her, towards the cemetery's exit.

(--)

_IDIOT! He was so SWEET and then you just had to ruin it!!! Run after him and apologize! _

Lily mentally slapped herself as she watched James' retreating back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_Calm down, Lily. You can fix this._

She hastily turned back to Catherine Potter's tombstone.

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

Then she turned back to the direction of the exit. She decided to chase James and give him a huge hug and a very pride-breaking apology.

Yet after passing by so many tombstones, she couldn't find James anymore.

_BLOODY HELL!_

She was lost.

(----)

**So here ya have it!!! Can you call this one a cliffie??? I would because I can't wait to post the next chapter! Please review! Three more until that 200 mark is reached. Thanks for all those who review constantly!!! Also thanks for those who have this thing on alert or in their favs list and for those who contributed to that 10 000 + hits… Yay!!!**

**For those who think it's weird to start college at June or start college at the **_**innocent **_**age of 16, don't be surprised that much. School here starts at June and ends in April. The average age for a Filipino student to graduate from high school is at 17 years old so I'm only a year early… and over here, that's not weird at all. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Talk to you at the end!!!**

**Deal? Amen? Good.**

Lily took in several deep breaths as she walked into no particular direction whatsoever. She was still in the graveyard, walking aimlessly, hoping to reach some sort of exit. The weather had gotten colder and a thick mist had accumulated all around her, making things hard to see.

She had left behind her wand, not thinking that she would need it. She was with James after all, and she didn't think she'd be taken to a Wizarding town. She knew it was stupid of her, as Jason always told her to bring it in case she needed it. But it was supposed to be a Muggle vacation! She didn't expect things to go like this!

It had only been a few minutes since James left. Perhaps he would even come back for her. Yet what happened that night lowered her hopes down.

_It's so unlike you, Lily._

She didn't really mean to say something like that. She was a bit freaked out by graves. She was not scared, as she knew that corpses can't hurt her. It was just weird for her.

She was not scared.

_It's probably because I haven't lost anyone in my life… yet. I can't understand how James feels. I really am sorry. I knew it was insensitive. _

Her thoughts were broken as she saw a figure approach her.

(--)

"YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO LEAVE HER JAMES!"

James flinched at his father's words. He was in their room. He had just returned from Ardodouille. He thought that Lily was following him. He was so angry at her that he didn't want to look back at all. He only realized that he had lost her once he already reached the Muggle part of town.

"Her parents are frantic! It doesn't help that she doesn't know her way around town! And do you know how humiliating it is to face them knowing that my son was supposed to be watching over their daughter?"

James didn't say anything. He had seen his father get angry before. The best way to endure it was to not talk back.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

No answer.

"Talk to me, damnit!"

James didn't look at him. "She said something… something that hurt. I was so mad that I walked away. I thought she was following me and so I didn't look back."

He could feel his father staring at him with a stern expression. He didn't say anything. James glanced at him for a second. "I'm sorry Dad."

"You better be." his father said grimly. He looked down again and sulked. He knew that it was his fault, but Lily had been harsh.

_She always says things before thinking about them._

His thoughts were interrupted as his coat was thrown onto his lap.

"Go find her."

James stared at his father. He didn't want to go back and face her again. "What if I don't want to?"

"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO LOST HER JAMES!" his father bellowed furiously. "SHE'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. NOW GET OUT AND FIND HER!"

(--)

Lily tried her best to remain calm from a high branch of a huge tree she climbed. She took a peek from its branches to see that the figure was still there. She couldn't see the face in all the mist.

Her logic told her to approach the stranger and ask for directions to the Muggle town, yet her gut told her to stay put as the person might be dangerous. This time, Lily opted to follow her gut. Besides, who would go for a stroll in a cemetery at that time of the night in that type of weather?

She watched as the figure came nearer. She led her breath, hoping that she would not be discovered. Luckily, the stranger paused a few feet away from the tree.

Then Lily sensed Legilimency starting to ease into her mind. She blocked it, trying to be as undetectable as possible. It seemed like she succeeded, as the figure did not acknowledge her in any way.

Then suddenly, the stranger spoke up in a thick French accent. "You can come out now… Laedan."

Lily's eyes widened. How did the person find out she was Laedan. She was frozen still on the tree.

But after a while, another figure approached the first one. This time, he came from behind the tree Lily was on top of. She realized that both figures were hooded.

"I guess that you have something of importance to tell me, Hera." the second person said in an accent Lily couldn't place.

"Ah, still blunt, aren't you Gerarmo?" The first figure said, the voice sounding feminine yet firm.

"Well it must be something urgent, as the letter you sent me was as blunt as I am."

"Not as blunt as the one you sent with that weird bird."

"It was a monkey-eating eagle, a Haribon, the---"

"King of the Birds, yes I know about that. But we're not here to discuss about your creatures."

"Then what am I here for?"

"Let out your Patronus first."

Gerarmo took out his wand and produced an elegant brown Arowana fish. It looked more bronze than brown against the light. "Your turn." Gerarmo said.

Hera also took out her wand and let out a deep blue-colored bat. Afterwards, she moved closer. "You are here because I want to warn you." she said in a serious tone. "The Dark Lord is targeting us, the members of the Fracas."

"The Dark Lord hardly touches the Orient, Hera."

"No, he does not. Yet you are still Fracas, Gerarmo. Remember that."

The second figure was silent. Lily watched their smoky breaths steadily. After a few seconds, Hera spoke once more.

"He may not touch your People." she said warningly. "Yet he is after you... us."

Gerarmo regarded her for a second, and then extended his hand. "In behalf of my country and the rest of the Orient, I thank you for the warning. We will take caution and strengthen our defenses." Gerarmo said, "More power to you, Laedan of France."

Hera shook it firmly. "Same to you too."

The male figure muttered a spell on a nearby rock and picked it up. He disappeared almost instantly. A few more seconds later, the Laedan of France did the same and disappeared out of sight.

Once she was gone, Lily climbed down from the tree, pondering on what had just happened. Apparently, two Laedans from different countries had just met, one of them, was from France, another from the Orient, probably somewhere in Asia, yet Lily was not sure.

The Dark Lord was after Fracas members. She had heard that before. Yet Frank had assured her that the English Fracas's code of secrecy was the best compared to the Fracas of the rest of the countries. So far, only four people outside of it knew of its existence, and she strongly doubted that any of the four would do something stupid.

Then, a thought suddenly came to her.

If those two were Fracas, it meant that they were still underage.

If they were underage, they should be arrested by now.

But they weren't

Lily closed her eyes and concentrated. There were barriers around the tree. Magic within those barriers would not be detected by the government. But they were already thinning out. She had to act fast.

Using all her strength to produce wandless magic, the first thing she did was send out sparks into the air and hope that they'd be seen through the mist.

She then took a bouquet of withered flowers from one of the graves and set it on fire. She started going towards the end of the barriers. She walked around the area, and then she saw it. Through the faint light of her makeshift torch that passed through the mist, she saw familiar path to the cemetery gates. She followed the path, trying not to stray away from it.

Then she stopped on her tracks as another batch of voices neared her. Quickly, she dropped her torch and made sure no traces of fire was left.

"There's magic here," a rough voice said in a completely English accent. "I can feel it."

"I know that, Avery."

"Do you think they're still here?"

"I think so. The Dark Lord will be pleased with us tonight."

Lily fought back a gasp. They were Death Eaters. She drew a couple of deep breaths and urged herself to calm down.

She waited for a while until another two shadows appeared in the mist. She quickly hid herself from them behind a tall tombstone.

"Are you sure they're here? I mean, the French told him to meet here, but how do we know he agreed?"

"We do not know." Avery said. "We just have to assume."

"Why don't we know? Couldn't you and Nott catch the replying bird?"

"Shut up! You weren't there when we tried to tame that bloody eagle!"

"I heard you didn't even get to touch it."

The man named Avery seemed to have lost his patience. "You don't know a thing or two about those things, Goyle." he said scathingly. "Those bloody birds are trained to dodge magic. They are said to be called King of the Birds because they possess power. Now come! They might sense us and leave."

It was silent once again and Lily decided to check for presences around her.

For the first time that night, she screamed.

"Hello there, little girl."

(--)

James walked slowly towards the hilltop. He wasn't really in the mood to face Lily. He didn't know what to expect. She seemed to be apologetic when he left her, but now he wasn't sure if he had made her mad again. He sighed and looked up at his mist destination. The only way he was keeping his direction correct was through the light from the lampposts.

Then suddenly, there was a flash of green light from above.

James paused. Green light had never been a good sign. He ran up the hill as fast as he could. He reached the cemetery and began to scamper across the graves.

"Lily!" he called. No answer. "Lily! Where are you?"

His mind began to panic. Green light. No, it could not be.

He went towards his mother's grave, where he left her, hoping that she was safe. He reached the tree and found her lying stunned on the ground. Yet she was not alone.

A hooded figure crouched down to her.

"Don't touch her!" James cried.

The figure looked up at him for a while, and then pulled down his hood.

(--)

"_Now all you need to do is sign."_

_Lily took the silver quill from Jason's hand and stared at the contract in front of her._

"_Wait Dad," Gabriel interrupted before the nib touched the parchment. "Does she know the consequences?"_

_Lily nodded at him. _

_She knew that once she had signed the contract with ink and blood, she'd be a part of the Fracas forever._

_She wouldn't be able to take the membership back or resign._

_Once she graduates, her identity and rank would be marked by a coded inscription in the basement of the Arena._

_She knew that once she leaves Hogwarts, her life may be in danger…_

_For the enemy was hunting down the strong ones._

_Perhaps she was naïve, a blind first-year not knowing what she's getting herself into._

_But she knew she was strong. She knew she'd get stronger. She hoped that someday, she'd be strong enough to protect the ones she loved the most._

_She signed the contract with ink and blood._

_(--)_

"Savio?" James muttered under his breath. "What are you doing here? I thought you stayed back?"

Gabriel looked at him and sighed. "They changed their minds about that bloody thesis and decided to put me on duty instead. There were Death Eaters here." he explained. "Lily was wandless. Did you know that?"

James shook his head and went over to Lily's stupefied form. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Just got hit by a stunner" Gabriel said.

"But… the green light…"

"It was a half-baked Killing curse by a half-baked Death Eater._ Ennervate!"_

Lily stirred into consciousness and sat up. "Wha---?"

"Up you go." Gabriel took his hands under her arms and hoisted her up. She looked like she was about to fall again. "Disoriented, I see." Gabriel said. "Come on. Let's get you out of here. You can still walk, good."

He held Lily by the arm and the three walked together out of the cemetery.

"So would you care to explain what happened?" Savio asked James as they walked downhill.

James looked at Lily's half-conscious self. "I left her in there." he admitted. "We got into a fight and I got mad."

"So you ditched her."

"I didn't mean to." James said. "I thought she was following me."

"What were you doing in a cemetery in the middle of the night anyway?"

James looked away. "We were visiting my Mum."

He saw Savio form an O with his mouth. "That didn't go well, I see."

"Obviously."

"Lily has this thing for dead people." Savio told him as they rounded a corner and reached Ardodouille's entrance, which was a blank wall at the back of a Muggle alley. There was a portrait on the Wizarding side and a tattered photograph at the other side, which served as password keepers.

"She could've just told me she's scared of dead people."

"Well, you know Lily… very stubborn."

They got out of the Wizarding side and Savio pushed Lily towards James.

"Hold her for a while."

He took off his hooded cloak to reveal dark Muggle clothing inside. James stared at him.

Savio had on an all-black attire, made mostly out of leather and dragon hide. "What?" he asked.

"Why are you dressed like a… goth?"

Savio grinned cheekily at him as he took Lily back. "Why? Got a problem with that?"

They walked back to the inn, where the Evanses (minus Petunia) and Mr. Potter were waiting.

"Lily!" Mrs. Evans cried once they entered. "Where were you? We were worried sick!"

Mr. Potter walked over to where James and Savio were. "What happened?" he asked his fellow Auror.

James slipped away as his father talked to Savio. Too much had happened that night, and he had a throbbing headache. He wanted to go to bed and rest. Besides, it didn't look like he was needed down there anyway.

(--)

Savio had just explained to Mr. Potter what had happened. The Evanses now thought that Lily was drunk, even though she didn't smell a bit like alcohol. The Stunning Spell she took was just pretty strong. That was all.

Then for some reason, consciousness seeped through Lily's brain. Gabriel smiled as a word came out of Lily's mouth for the first time.

It was a shame though. What she was looking for was not there anymore.

"James?"

(--)

Christmas eve came and right after the feast, it was spent by everyone left in Hogwarts in their own way. Some were handling some last-minute delivery of presents. Others were busy eating more sweets and treats. Couples exchanged kisses under enchanted mistletoe.

But no one else, not even the teachers, knew about the war that had been going on in the grounds.

"Our base is under attack!"

"We need more ammo!"

"Fire the cannons!"

"Er, Sirius, we don't have cannons."

A massive snowball fight was ablaze beside the frozen lake. It was a match between houses… Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. The one leading the red corner was none other than Sirius Black. The yellow corner was led by Frank Longbottom.

The fight had been lasting for about an hour already. Never had Remus experienced such a complicated fight. Real war strategies were used and their forts were a lot bigger than average. Sirius had even conjured up a red flag.

Each team consisted of eight members each. The three Marauders had persuaded three other boys and two girls to join them, one of which was Alice Longbottom.

The fight happened by coincidence. Alice and Frank were the first once on the grounds, saying that they just went out for a "friendly stroll" in the cold evening. Then the Marauders decided to spy on them. Alice, who felt that they were being followed, threw the first snowball. She aimed for Peter, but hit Frank instead. Frank retaliated, but he was only one against four. Later, for some unknown reason, seven more Hufflepuffs joined in, yet they were suddenly armed with a fort. Thankfully, there were three other Gryffindors who were outside at that time.

So Sirius, who never backed down, declared an all-out battle, and even went so far as to paint his face with Alice's red lipstick.

In a matter of seconds, it was raining snowballs.

"We're almost out of ammo!" Anthony Patil cried. "Peter, speed up!"

The smallest boy quickened his snowball-making.

"We can't defeat them by staying behind the fort, Sirius!" Remus told him. "It won't get us anywhere! We have to give them a sneak attack and snipe their leader from behind!"

"But it's too dangerous to get near!" Sirius cried in exaggerated frustration. Remus fought himself from rolling his eyes. His friend was getting carried away.

"I'll go." Alice bravely volunteered.

"No way!" Sirius cried. "You can't do that! You're---"

"A girl? Listen to me, Black. I may be female but I can throw a snowball harder than any man could."

Sirius regarded her for a while. "Okay." he said and dumped a pile of snowballs at her. "Here's your ammo. Be careful."

Seconds later, Frank stood up from behind the fort, holding Alice in one hand and snowball on the other.

"Stop!" He cried. "We've got a hostage! Drop all snowballs or she gets iced!"

The Gryffindor side stopped launching their balls, and so did Hufflepuff.

"What do we do?" Dorcas Meadows asked Sirius.

"We bluff." Sirius said. "The guy's in love with her. He wouldn't do a thing."

Sirius stood up straight and yelled his reply. "A foul trick, my foe!" he cried dramatically. This time, Remus did roll his eyes. "But we shall not surrender, in the name of Gryffindor!"

Frank raised an eyebrow and unblinkingly crushed the snowball on Alice's shoulder.

The Gryffindors gasped.

"How could he?"

"Did he just do that?"

"No way!"

In all the drama, the red side did not notice Carlo Brown sitting on top of the tree shading them with a pile of 'ammo'. He let the snowballs drop from above and yelled "AIR RAID!"

In the end, the Hufflepuffs declared victory, and they finally decided to sneak back to the castle before Filch recovers from the alcohol.

Remus returned with everyone else in good spirits. It was a fun fight, and the bad drama (care of Sirius) just made things funny. Somehow, he wished that the Marauders were complete that time. James would've loved it.

He would catch snippets of conversation as they walked along the Entrance Hall. Sirius was flirting with the Hufflepuff girls. Alice was giggling with Dorcas about something. Carlo and Frank were talking to each in hushed voices, but Remus, whose senses were better than a normal human's, still hear them clearly.

"Thanks a lot back there." Frank told Carlo. "The odds were one against four. I almost couldn't concentrate on sending the message."

"You were lucky to have us, mate." Carlo said. "Good thing you were able to reach me. I was asleep then and you suddenly appeared in my dream."

Remus frowned. How _did _Frank contact the Hufflepuffs. He was certain that it was via Carlo, yet there was no way he could have communicated. Muggle phones or other communication devices did not work inside Hogwarts. He couldn't have owled, since there were no birds around.

They finally reached the Hufflepuff hallway (the way to their common room) and it was time to part.

"Well this is it then." Sirius said. "Farewell, worthy opponents."

"Er Sirius, the war is over already."

"So what? It makes things realer."

Carlo frowned. "Is realer a word?"

"Well anyway," Remus said before Sirius could answer. "Happy Christmas to you all… oh and may I ask a question?"

"Sure." Frank shrugged.

"How did your teammates know you needed help?"

"I saw you through the window." Carlo said confidently. "I was in the library and I saw Frank being beaten up. So I called for back-up."

Remus looked at him. His face was so believable, so innocent. If he didn't hear his conversation with Frank earlier, he would've been fooled.

(--)

It was Christmas morning and Lily woke up to a pile of presents at the foot of her bed. It was probably from her parents… guilt gifts given to cover the lack of time they spent with their daughter.

She decided to open them later, as her head was beginning to ache.

What happened last night?

No. She was sure she wasn't hung over.

Then it struck her. _Death Eaters_.

When she tried to look for presences, she felt one right above her. She was cornered, and wandless. Wandless magic could only go so far, and she was nearly drained of energy from walking climbing, and running away.

She backed up against a tomb, not knowing what to do. Her mind raced. There has to be something. There is always something.

Then the man called Goyle stunned her directly on the head.

"Are you daft?" Avery asked him. "We were not supposed to leave marks. Kill her right away!"

The man named Goyle had already cast a half-baked Killing curse until someone disarmed him. All Lily could remember was another hooded figure and a distant voice calling out to her frantically. She was revived, yet she couldn't remember what happened next. The pain on her head was very strong.

Then there was another thing.

James.

Lily jumped out of bed and got dressed. Afterwards, she walked out of the room and out of the inn, trying to find a shop that was open at that time of the morning.

(--)

James deftly packed his belongings. It was Christmas Day and they were leaving. His Dad was in a bad mood and he didn't want to displease him any longer. So when he was told that they had to leave at Christmas, he did not complain.

He glanced at the clumsily wrapped box on his bed. It was the silver quill Savio suggested to him to give his Dad. He couldn't find a much better gift, so he got it in the end. Besides, Savio wouldn't know anything about it anyway.

He was almost done when there was a knock on the door. James glanced at the clock. It was still 7:30. Too early for housekeeping. It must be his Dad.

"Come in." he said without turning to look at the door.

"James?"

James turned to see Lily standing there, holding a small golden box.

"What do you want?" He asked her coldly as he returned to his packing.

"You're leaving?" she asked, looking at his messy half-filled suitcase.

"What does it look like, Evans?"

She didn't say anything. But he could feel her eyes watching him. He finally had enough and turned to look at her. "What do you want?"

"I-I just wanted to say… I'm sorry."

James huffed and rolled his eyes. "Wow. That's a first."

He expected her to talk back at him, or let out a string of swear words. But she didn't do anything.

"Here." She said, extending her had to give him the box she was holding. "It's hurried and there was only one shop open… so I got it for you and---"

"I don't want your gift, Evans." he said stonily. How dare her? She insults his dead mother and expected him to forgive her just like that? "You couldn't forgive me before. Why should I forgive you?"

She looked down and slowly lowered her hand. Even though James hated her at the moment, he couldn't deny that he had never seen her so… vulnerable before, not even when she was in a hospital bed, nor when she was crying.

"Oh." she said. Then she looked up at him again. He saw that she was trying to smile. "Thanks by the way."

"For what?"

"For coming back for me last night."

James cruelly chuckled and came nearer to her. "Don't flatter yourself, Evans." he said. "I was forced to go back by my Dad. I had no intention to go back there for you. You want to thank someone? Why don't you go back to your little Auror prince charming. He's the one who saved you, not me."

She was breathing fast now. James waited for her to retaliate. But instead of insults, he saw that it was tears that threatened to get out of her.

She was looking at him, almost scared. For a while, James wanted to take back what he said.

"I'm sorry James." she whispered before running out of the room.

James watched her go away. Why was it always like that between the two of them? They always fought, and one of them would try to apologize, but the other won't forgive.

James sighed and went to close his door. But something was stuck between it and the wall.

He picked up the golden box tied up with a silk red ribbon and opened it.

In it lay a small elephant, made of black-tainted wood. There was a note along with it.

_It's expression changes along with your mood._

_I hope you like it._

_Happy Christmas James!_

_-Lily-_

James looked at the elephant again. It had its trunk lying low and its mouth curled into a frown.

James could have denied it, yet if he did, he would have been proven wrong by the elephant on his hands.

He was sad.

(--)

**I did not get the chance to send this one to my beta reader because even though she wouldn't admit it, her e-mail add is a bit faulty (which led to a mutual IM battle). But I did reread and reread and edited and edited so that I'd get fewer mistakes this time.**

**Forgive me if there are more mistakes!!! **

**Bad News**

**School is starting (huwaaaah) so updates would come later than usual. **hehehe.

**More Power to y'all!**

**eatOthis**


	16. AUTHOR'S NOTE! no, it's not that

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOkay...

I know you're all upset about the title of this so-called "chapter".

It's unacceptable!

atrocious!

impossible!

inhumane!

barbaric!

Have no fear though... I'm just going to rewrite this thing.

Don't worry, I have no intentions of abandoning this story because it's the best one I've made so far according to the amount of reviews I get... Thanks by the way.

To all those who actually know the burden of rewriting, then you may as well know that it takes time doing it.

Why am I rewriting?

1.) People have been YELLING at me to get a beta reader (note the exaggeration). I have. And she's going to beta ALL of the written stuff.

2.) To correct some mistakes (all kinds) that the beta cannot correct.

Please do not expect me to have it done immediately because college life is finally taking a lot of my time. But I still have free time so I'd be working on Fracas then.

Also, please do not flame me.

I am currently taking up units in Creative Writing so I think it would help. Hopefully, by the time I repost this, it would be better.

I apologize for the inconvenience, but I do think it is necessary.

Good luck to me!

Millie

P.s. Is that the first time I've used my name???


	17. Chapter 16

Months passed by in Hogwarts very quickly and soon enough, spring was already nearing its end

**AN: Read story first before anything else…**

(-0)

"What's going on between the two of you, James?" Sirius asked when they vacated the common room once Lily entered it. "This is the umpteenth time we had to leave because she's there."

Not much happened once Lily and James came back to Hogwarts from France. They were still hostile to each other and the tension was evident once they are put together in a room.

Their friends noticed that something must have happened that they did not know. Their unfriendliness was already known to the whole school, but it was different somehow.

They did not bicker anymore. There were no verbal spats, no hexes, no pranks, just simple ignorance of each other's existence. When one entered a room, the other one would try to leave. This continued on throughout the months.

"Umpteenth is not a number, Padfoot." James said.

"Stop avoiding the question, Prongs." Remus said. "This has been going on for too long."

"I don't know what you're talking about." James answered.

"You know very well what we're talking about."

James stopped walking and faced his three friends. "Look, whatever happened out there, it's all in the past. I know we're not supposed to keep secrets from each other but I don't want to talk about it. I've been in my best behavior already, so please just forget it."

James let out a long breath before he mutterd an apology, turned and walked away.

Remus sighed. "He's right. We should give him some time."

"But this has been going on for months. We couldn't even celebrate his birthday properly because of all the sulking."

"At least he's nicer." Peter said meekly. "He doesn't make fun of me anymore."

Frank, however, was not easily shaken off.

He asked Lily about it whenever there's an opportunity. When she wouldn't respond, he tried his best Legilimency on her. It resulted to a very bad backfiring which gave Lily a vivid example of Frank's hormonal dreams involving a certain blond.

Fracas meetings were held almost regularly. The Laedan had been calling for matches as much as she could. Members sensed that there should be something behind her unusual eagerness for the matches, but none dared to question her.

(--)

Classes have ended and twilight was slowly approaching. Lily stared at the opposite bank of the Lake. Her legs were crossed, elbows were on knees and head was on hands. She was the only fifth year on the grounds as all the others were inside cramming for the O.W.L.s, which would start the next day.

She was tired, tired of shouting, of fighting, of glaring. She still had a lot to worry about: exams, The Laedan's warning in the cemetery, James.

James.

He's been avoiding her for months. She thought that when she would leave him alone for a while, all things would cool down and go back to normal. She had thought about talking to him, but that might make things worse, and she was too tired of all the fighting.

"I see you're deep in thought."

"Hi Gabriel." Lily greeted without looking away from the lake. She felt him sit beside her. "How's life in the dungeons?"

"Good."

They sat in silence for a while.

"Worried about the O.W.L.s?" Gabriel asked.

Lily shrugged.

"I thought so. So what's the deal with Potter?"

"Haven't talked to him in ages. How should I know?"

"Well, aren't you going to talk to him?"

Lily shrugged once again.

Gabriel sighed. "You know, the underground would be suspicious if you vent out all that negative energy into the matches. Your meetings are getting way too frequent."

"I am _not_ venting negative energy on matches." Lily snapped a little too quickly. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

Lily sighed. She had been calling for matches because she needed to focus on something other than her studies and James. While it also made her more conscious of the Dark Lord's plan, the matches relaxed her a little.

"Look Lily," Gabriel said, shifting so that he was directly facing her. "I know that it's none of my business, but the two of you really need to talk."

Lily just looked at him and he shot her back a knowing stare. He didn't say anything. Lily went back to her thoughts until Gabriel's voice suddenly spoke in her head.

_What happened in the cemetery?_

Lily took a long breath. It was about time he asked that. She was even surprised that he didn't ask her for the past months.

She sent him a vivid memory of what happened: the meeting of the Laedans, Avery and Goyle, their attempt to intercept the Laedans' birds. Gabriel didn't say anything once it was done.

_I've already warned everyone, including the council. _Lily told him.

_You don't just have to be careful, Lily. _He said. _They're after what's below._

He sent her a piece of his own memory.

(--)

_Gabriel crouched in front of McGonagall's fireplace. In front of him was his father's face which was frowning in the dim light he had on his side._

"_How is she?" Jason asked._

"_She's emotional at the moment." Gabriel answered. "She's been calling for matches more than usual, but that seems to be all."_

_The older man sighed. "That's her weakness. She has to do something about that temperament of hers. But this hasn't happened before. What's triggering it?"_

_Gabriel paused before answering. "James Potter."_

"_Ah." His father said. "Boy trouble."_

"_That's not all. Potter knows about the society."_

"_WHAT?"_

"_He found an alumnae's invitation. He said it was Mrs. Potter's back in her day. He probably did some research and went through the Restricted Section. He knows the location. Lily met with him a few times."_

"_And she didn't do anything about it? Why didn't she Obliviate him yet?"_

"_I think she's got a good reason, Dad."_

_Jason sat back and took a long breath. "Does he know who the Laedan is?"_

"_He's falling for our plan. He has no idea it's her."_

"_Good. Keep it that way and keep an eye on Lily and that boy. We can't have any unnecessary distractions during these times."_

"_These times?"_

"_The Dark Lord is on the move, Gabe, or at least his followers are." He said, his expression solemn. "They are targeting the basement archives."_

(--)

Gabriel walked through the corridors to the Great Hall for dinner. Lily had rushed off somewhere, probably to think.

As he walked towards the teachers' table, he absentmindedly turned his wand with his deft fingers. He kept his eyes forward as he walked, concentrating on his chair beside Professor Slughorn, but in the corner of his eye, he could see a handful of students watching him.

That was his Dad's initial plan: to make the society think he is Laedan. Sure, it won't make sense because he's not a student, but the Fracas has always been an enigma, even to its members.

_Besides, _Gabriel thought. _It's not as if I'm not qualified for the job._

Gabriel Savio, 19 years old, Advanced Guard, graduated from Durmstrang at the early age of 16. There, he became a Fracas member in his second year under his father's training.

At the age of 13, he was challenged by the present Laedan. He lost the match, but was able to show such a great amount of skill that he was offered the usually vacant position of 6th council member, the one with the violet eyes. By then, he was allowed to use his natural eye color, purple, in matches.

Before he left Durmstrang, he was challenged by their new Laedan, whom he defeated after five minutes. At 15, he became Durmstrang's Laedan. A few months later, he challenged his best council member for the title, and subtly lost on purpose because he knew he would be graduating early.

He was glad he retired early. He didn't want to be in Lily's position at the moment.

(--)

James walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast the next day. The sun had just risen and it was quite an ungodly hour in the morning, but there were already a few students in the Great Hall.

He sat his tired body on the Gryffindor table and just stared at his empty plate. He had fallen asleep while studying on his bed by wandlight.

The OWLs were getting nearer and he found himself getting drained. He wasn't alone though. Sirius's late night trips to the Restricted Section were getting later and Peter had several nervous breakdowns. Remus was the only one taking it in his usual calm way.

"Come on." He told them. "It's just like all other exams, only they'll make a bigger show of it."

James inwardly snorted. It was easy for him to say. James needed top grades to reach his dream profession of becoming an Auror, as McGonagall told him. He wasn't bad with schoolwork, but he wasn't as exceptional as Remus either and exceptional was what he needed.

His thoughts were interrupted by at least a dozen owls entering the Great Hall at the same time.

_Weird. _James thought. _We don't get mail this early._

His gaze followed them until they landed on the far side of the table where a lone figure was seated.

He saw Lily Evans gather her owl post and wondered who they were from. She looked as tired, or probably more tired than he was. He had a funny feeling that schoolwork was not what kept her busy, and he had the urge to ask her what was wrong.

He watched her open and scrutinize each mail like Potions text. She was wearing a troubled expression on her face.

Part of him wanted to approach her and ask her what was wrong. But it was probably none of his business.

Besides, he didn't think he could talk to her just like that.

(--)

"So…"

"So?"

"I was just wondering if…"

"If what?"

"You would… er…"

"Relax and say it out loud, Frank."

Frank looked at the girl in front him. He took a deep breath and gathered his last ounce of courage.

"Will you go out with--"

"FRANK!"

Lily burst through the Astronomy Tower's entrance, interrupting their conversation.

"Hi Alice. Frank, we need to talk."

"Not now, Lily." Frank said through gritted teeth.

"It's an emergency."

"Can't it wait until…"

Lily looked at him and shot him a glare. "Three minutes." She said before leaving the room.

Alice watched, amused, as Frank sighed exasperatedly before facing her again.

"You were saying?"

"Er… right. I was wondering if you'd, er, liketogooutwithmetoHogsmeadesometime."

Alice grinned. "I'm sorry?"

"I said, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" Frank said, his voice getting smaller at each word.

(--)

Lily waited below the Astronomy Tower for Frank to end his confession of undying love. She leaned on the spiral staircase's railing.

She was happy for him. She really was. At last, Frank was getting the chance to tell Alice how he felt.

If only she could do the same for a certain someone.

She knew James saw her that morning as she read her mail. She decided not to run away that time and just ignored his presence. But it was not easy to block out his thoughts, especially because he was thinking about her.

She shook away the thoughts as she heard Frank's heavy footsteps on the stairs. She had bigger things to think about.

(--)

"What is it?" Frank asked once he reached her.

"Where's Alice?"

"Still upstairs."

"What did she say?"

Frank grinned goofily. "She said yes."

Lily smiled back at him, though Frank noticed a hint of sadness in her eyes. In a second, her smile was gone.

"We need to talk somewhere else." She said urgently.

She didn't need to say anything else. Frank followed her to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and into the Room of Requirement.

He knew that this was something big. When in need of a secret conversation, Lily would always rely on Legilimency. Needing the Room of Requirement meant needing maximum discretion.

"What's wrong?" Frank asked once the door was sealed. They were in a room with no windows or any other gaps. It had a bare table, two chairs, and a candelabra with lit candles for light. They both sat down and began to discuss.

"The Death Eaters are after the archives." Lily said after a pause.

Frank's eyes widened. "How'd you--"

"Savio warned me. It's probably how he plans to know the strongest of his enemies."

"But how can he get in? Only the two of us have access."

Lily didn't say anything. She just looked at him with a forlorn expression.

"No." Frank whispered upon realization. "No way."

"We have to, Frank. It's not like I don't trust you, but I'm doing this by the book. It's also for your protection."

"You can't just Obliviate me, Lily. I've always been Speaker since--"

"You won't lose your position." Lily interrupted. "You will still be Speaker. You can still commentate. All I ask of you is to forget everyone's identities and the way to the archives."

Frank looked down. Speaker was the position he had always wanted since the day he found out about the Fracas. It wasn't just because he can commentate, it was also because he knew who everyone else was.

It was more satisfying to know who beat whom. It was fascinating to see how different the students become once they get into the arena. Bookworms became hardcore, thugs became strategists, wimps became bullies, and weirdos were revered.

To lose that satisfaction was to lose half of the title, of the privilege.

"Let me explain further." Lily said. "The fewer the people who know the secrets are, the lesser the chance of the Dark Lord to get to them is. Voldemort is ruthless enough to kill for what he wants, and his followers are definitely the same. They are expecting him to rise again soon and they will do everything in their power to make him happy."

"But Lily, aside from me, only you know of the secrets. I can't let you carry that burden alone. Besides, if you do Obliviate me and I'd still be Speaker, they might think I'd still have access. So what's the point of Obliviating me?"

"They are Death Eaters, Frank. Very few of them are willing to kill without their Voldemort watching." Frank winced at the name. "They are underestimating us. None of them really know our true power. No member of Fracas is weak or absurd enough to become a Death Eater. Our archives say so."

"So why are we being this careful?"

"It's a precaution. They may be underestimating us, but we won't underestimate them. Their lust for power and pride is very strong. Have you heard of the Lestranges?"

"That git who graduated years ago? The one that tortured that muggle-born?"

"The one and only. It seems like he recently joined. They are growing."

"How'd you know?"

"I sent my Patronus to some graduated members in the ministry and some Aurors. They were very helpful."

Silenced enveloped them for a while. Frank thought about Lily Obliviating him.

He thought that she was over-reacting. The Fracas arena was impenetrable, and its members were powerful enough to fight off the Death Eaters.

However, she was right about being extra cautious. Death Eaters were, after all, the biggest wizarding terrorist group in Britain and even perhaps beyond.

"Fine." Frank said dismissively. "I'll do it."

Lily gave him another sad smile. "Thank you." She said. "I shall set a meeting with the Council tonight."

**(--)**

**AN: Sorry for the super long vacation. I've just died and gone to Hell, which is in my case, college. I found myself so immersed in work that I didn't have the time, or the inspiration to write. I wasn't really used to the amount of schoolwork. I had a very carefree high school life as far as schoolwork is concerned. I'm kind of experiencing what James is experiencing in this chapter.**

**Next… we meet the Council.**


	18. Chapter 17

"To the esteemed Council of Fracas, may I present you with your new Speaker, Elamon

**Read first. Author's note at the bottom ******

"_Nervous?" Lily asked Frank as they neared the huge oak doors at the end of the hallway._

"_More excited than nervous, my Lord." Frank answered. Lily opened the doors._

"_To the esteemed Council of Fracas, may I present you with your new Speaker, Elamon."_

_They were in the arena's discussion room. It was a circular room with their usual marble walls. In the middle was a big round table made of shiny limestone. Around the table were six throne-like chairs, each with a different color: green, grey, brown, black, blue, and violet. The last of which was unoccupied._

_The door closed behind them and Lily left Frank for her green seat._

"_He looks a bit small." The one on the grey seat said. _

"_Great things come in small packages, Husky." Said the one in blue._

"_Echo is right." The black one said. "Our Laedan is one example."_

"_I'm sorry, Trunk." Husky said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "I did not mean it as an insult. Just pointing out the facts. Candela might want to right it down on the minutes."_

_The one on the brown seat glared at him. "I'm not as crude as you are, Husk."_

_Frank wanted to raise an eyebrow at their bickering. He expected a drilling interview, but instead, he was being eyed like an endangered specie by the Council. They even made candid comments about him in front of himself._

"_He is here for the usual interview. Now if we stop quarreling, we might get something done here."_

_The Council members didn't seem affected by Lily's stern voice._

"_So Elamon," Husky eagerly began. "What's your Patronus again?"_

"_A horse, my Lord."_

"_Stallion or mare?"_

_Frank's forehead creased. "I… didn't really check, my Lord."_

"_Stop it, Husky." Candela said. "You're asking him nonsensical questions."_

"_What? We're Fracas. We have to be intimate with our Patronuses."_

"_That is sick, Husk."_

"_You have a dirty mind, Echo."_

"_What motivated you to become Speaker?" Trunk asked Frank, cutting off Echo's retort._

"_At first, I just wanted to commentate." Elamon answered. "But then I found out that I get to know everyone else's identities."_

"_If you wanted to commentate, then you could've done so in Quidditch." Candela said coolly. "What does knowing our identities do for you? If you plan on using the information for blackmail, you know what could happen to you, right?"_

"_I do know the consequences." Frank answered. "I don't have any intention of doing blackmail. It's just… well… really cool to know how different people in here are from their outside lives."_

_There was a silence as the Council members just stared him. Frank wondered if he was being too comfortable in front of them. It was still after all, the Council._

"_Elamon," Husky said. "Do you know who I am outside?"_

"_Er… yes, my Lord."_

_Frank smiled behind his mask. Husky was in fact, Elijah Greengrass, Hufflepuff's resident loner. He didn't talk much outside. He was so quiet that teachers sometimes wondered if he was mute._

"_Does that make me any better than anyone here?"_

_Frank looked at the rest of the members. They were surely an odd bunch: a Gobstones addict, a Quidditch player, a loner, an heiress, and his best friend._

"_No, my Lord." Frank answered._

"_And why is that?"_

"_Because everyone is equal inside the arena. Once we put the mask on, the only identities we have are our eyes and our Patronuses."_

"_Well he's certainly done his homework." Echo said. "But I like the way he talks. It's very…"_

"_Mature?" Candela offered as she wrote down on a parchment. "He talks like he just came out of a novel or something."_

"_Yes, it's very mature… unlike some people."_

_Husky chuckled and lazily leaned on his armrest. "Now who might you be talking about, Echo?" _

(--)

Frank looked out into the horizon on the Hufflepuff balcony, watching the skies as they turned from blue to pink and orange.

That was his first meeting with the Council. It was right after he won the title match for Speaker. The Council hadn't changed much. They've switched members from time to time. Candela, known to the world as the daughter of a pureblood mogul, graduated and was replaced several times by different brown-eyed people until it was firmly held by her fourth year sister.

Frank sighed. When the Council Obliviates him, he'd certainly forget every single identity, including Lily's. The Laedan would be nothing more than "his lord". He wouldn't be bold enough to tell her his opinion of things. He was afraid that he would not trust her as much as he trusted her now. He wasn't sure if Lily decides to tell him that she's Laedan once his memory's altered. She never mentioned it, but he hoped so.

He suddenly felt an arm snake around his and saw a mass of blond hair lean on his shoulder.

"What are you thinking of?" Alice asked.

Frank looked at her. "How did you get here?"

"Same as last time."

They stood there in silence, watching the sun dip lower into the mountains. It was difficult for Frank to think about his upcoming meeting with the Council with Alice beside him. She always had the ability of taking things out of his head. He looked at her. Maybe being Obliviated won't be so bad, especially now that he had one of the school's prettiest girls clinging on his arm.

"What?" Alice asked. "What's with the staring?"

Frank smiled. "You're pretty."

(--)

Alice smiled broadly and laid her head on his shoulder just in time to hide the blush creeping up to her face. It was the first time Frank told her that. Sure, it was kind of childish to be called 'pretty' than 'beautiful', but when it came from someone who rarely have the guts to give her compliments, she'd take it.

"Thank you." Alice said.

Frank was the most unique person Alice had ever dated. The boys she was usually placed her on a pedestal so high that everyone else wanted to be with her. Whenever she went on dates, she would usually feel tired afterwards. It was as if she was making a big effort with trying to please them. Sure she had a lot of fun in relationships, but most of the guys wanted something in return. They may not have known it, but Alice knew when she was being treated like a trophy, or when she was being used to make someone jealous, or when she was there just for a good snog.

Frank made her feel at ease. She was never tired after hanging out with him. He always listened to what she had to say, and he argued with her when they differed in opinion (like whether Professor Slughorn wears a wig or not). She found herself looking forward to seeing him in class, during mealtimes, or even in the library. It also didn't hurt that her grades shot up significantly when she started hanging out with him.

She discreetly looked up at her new boyfriend. He was thinking about something serious. She knew that, and the fact that he didn't answer her question made her feel like he was hiding something.

"Sickle for your thoughts?"

Frank sighed. "Will you be mad if I say that I can't tell you?"

Alice knew it. He was keeping a secret from her. She frowned.

"I'm sorry, Alice." He said. "It's not really my secret to tell."

Alice buried her face on his shoulder. "I really wish you wouldn't keep things from me."

They stood there in silence for a while. The sun had fully disappeared behind the mountain and stars began showing up above them.

Frank made her face him by holding her face in one hand. "How about this," he took her hand in his. "Let me keep this secret, and I'll promise you I won't keep anything else from you."

(--)

"Have you seen my Sugar Quills?" Sirius asked his three other friends as he dug through the contents of his untidy trunk. "I really can't study without them."

"Relax, Padfoot. They're in your dresser, third drawer from the top."

"Thanks Moony… hey, three quills are missing!" Sirius turned to Peter who was hunched over a textbook on his bed.

Peter sensed that he was being watched and looked up. "What?"

"Did you take my Sugar Quills?"

"No." Sirius narrowed his eyes. "I swear! I didn't take them."

"Relax Padfoot. I saw Moony take them earlier." James said absent-mindedly as he wrote something down on his parchment.

"Remus--"

"Fine! I took them and I'm sorry! You know how I am when I'm stressed."

Sirius groaned. "Why do we have to share the bad habit of sucking!" he looked at his box of quills. "And you took the grape-flavored one too."

James sighed as he closed his ink bottle. "Dad sent me some, Padfoot." He said. "It's in my trunk. Help yourself."

Like a child on Christmas morning, Sirius eagerly dove into James's open trunk to get the candy.

The three boys were in their room, cramming for the exams tomorrow. The examiners were supposed to arrive the next day. In their earlier years, they usually planned a welcome prank for the visitors, but for now, they had to hit the books.

"Now where is that History text… aha!"

Sirius emerged from under his bed with a dusty book in his hands.

"How long has that been in there?"

"Dunno. I usually use the ones in the library. No offense to Bagshot, but I like the other ones better."

They studied in silence after that, with the occasional sucking noises from Sirius's side. James felt his eyes drooping. He looked at his watch. It was already past midnight, but he had to review for his first test, which was Charms. He had to stay awake, at least for another hour.

"I'm grabbing a snack." Sirius said, standing up. "Can I borrow the cloak, James?"

"You just found your book. Aren't you going to study first or something?"

"Hey, I can't study unless I have everything I need around me. Can I borrow the cloak?"

James rolled his eyes. It was Sirius's habit to eat before, suck during, and tidy up after studying. His Dad once told him that he had was some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Having a mental disability was the only thing Sirius shared with his family.

"It's fine, I'll go with you." James said as he shut his book. He had to walk around or else he'd collapse. Grabbing cloak and map, the two boys went outside when the two others called after them.

"Nick me a muffin!"

"Me too!"

(--)  (-0)

Lily looked at Frank from her usual green seat in the discussion room. She could sense he was nervous and reluctant, but he kept his unwavering stance as he stood before the Council.

"And you approve of the Laedan's suggestion?" Trunk asked him.

"I trust his judgment, my lord."

The Council looked at one another. "Are you sure? Most people would fight for that position _and _the knowledge you have. This is not something to be taken lightly."

Lily decided to speak up. "It is for his safety, and also for the archives' discretion. The fewer the people who know of it are, the safer our identities would be."

"The Laedan has a point." Husky said as he slumped on his chair. "After all, it's not only our names that are engraved down there, but also the alumni's."

"I agree." Echo said. "It is safer to have only one person knows of its accessibility. I also think that the whole society would like this precaution. After all, most of us have family who were members. They'd all be endangered if the archives are opened."

"So it is decided then?" Trunk said. "Just to make things clear, can you read the terms, Flits?"

Their latest member, Flitsy, stood up and read from her notes.

"The Speaker of the Society, Elamon, is to be placed with a Memory Charm to erase only the knowledge concerning the accessibility and location on the Society's archives. This is to be done due to a situation involving Death Eaters and the possible threats that the said group poses."

"Are the terms clear, Elamon?" Lily asked him.

"Yes, my lord."

She rose and pointed her wand at him. She looked straight into his eyes. After the charm has been placed, she would no longer have someone to talk to when it comes to the members' outside lives. She would no longer have anyone to share the knowledge with. He would be just like any other member of Fracas.

"_Obliviate!"_

She focused on erasing only what was needed to be forgotten. The flash of light ended and Frank collapsed to the floor from the pressure.

When he found the strength to stand up again, he couldn't look directly into her eyes anymore.

Lily had never felt so alone.

(--)

"I swear this cloak is getting too small for us."

"Let's get it off then. That cat is too far to hear us anyway."

The two boys took off the cloak and James folded it up on his arm. They reached the fruit painting without any complications.

The kitchens were almost empty, considering that the House Elves were busy cleaning up the rest of the castle. Some remained, however, to serve the few who knew of the place.

"A basketful of muffins please." Sirius told the House Elf who greeted them. "Make them all raspberry."

They sat on one of the long tables while waiting for their food.

"Fancy seeing you two here."

James turned to see Gabriel Savio sitting down on Sirius's other side. He felt a knot in his stomach tighten once he heard his voice. Seeing Gabriel made him part angry and part ashamed of himself unreasonably.

"Ready for exams?" Gabriel asked.

"Very much." Sirius answered confidently. "I'm pretty sure we'll get all Os. Right James?"

James sighed. "Right. What are _you _doing here?"

Gabriel ignored the venom in his voice. "Getting a bite to eat before I leave for the Ministry." At that moment, a House Elf brought him a plate of delicious-looking omelet, a piece of shepherd's pie, and a mug of hot chocolate.

"You're leaving" Sirius said. "As in now? Sun's not even up yet."

"I know." He answered. "It was quite short-notice and I have to be back to help supervise your test in the morning." He dug into his food with a very good appetite. "So what are you guys having tomorrow?"

"History of Magic." Sirius answered, seeing as James was not in the mood for talking. "I'm sure I'll fall asleep through it."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Gabriel said after swallowing. "I know a lot of people who slept through it and got Ts. Don't expect an O though. It's almost impossible."

"I bet Moony can do it though."

"Who?"

"Never mind." James sharply said before Sirius could answer.

"Anyway," Gabriel said. "Don't sleep on it, no matter how boring it is."

"Merlin." Sirius muttered. "I should've bought that Baruffio's Brain Elixir."

Gabriel chuckled. "I'm glad you didn't. I bought a pint myself once. It's only dried Doxy droppings diluted in Rejuvinating Potion."

"How did _you_ go through your OWLs?"

Gabriel swallowed a massive slice of omelet before answering. "I didn't go through them."

Sirius gaped. Even James turned to look at him. "How is that possible?"

"It wasn't easy. I took an advance placement test during my fourth year. I took another one on my sixth which I barely passed. But it made me qualify for graduating early."

"Fantastic! How do you take the test?"

"Well, it's not really that simple. A teacher has to recommend you to the Ministry first before you can take it. And no, you can't ask a teacher to recommend you."

A House Elf approached them with their basket of muffins. James took the food and told Sirius that they should go. Sirius managed to say a small goodbye to the Auror before following James out.

(--)

"Why don't you like him?"

"Hm?"

"I said, why don't you like him? And slow down. No one is around."

James didn't bother to slow his pace down as his best friend speed-walked beside him.

"He seems suspicious." James answered.

Sirius's frowned. "I don't know, Prongs. He seems to be an okay bloke. And he's an Advanced Guard. You have to admit that's cool."

James didn't answer. He himself didn't know why he felt hostility towards Gabriel Savio. Perhaps it had something to do to the fact that he was better than James in almost everything, from school to career to Lily…

Oh Merlin, he did not just think that.

(--)

Andreus Shacklebolt rubbed his tired eyes as he walked through St. Mungo's corridors. It was still before dawn but the hospital was still filled with patients of various magical ailments.

"Andreus," a tall, dark-skinned man called.

"What is it Walter?"

"Mr. Meadows is calling for you. He's getting stomach pains again. I think that fake Cough Drought he bought from Africa is poisoning him faster than we thought."

Andreus sighed. In the 45 years he spent in that profession, he had encountered a lot of cases involving illegal or faulty potions and drugs. People just do not learn until they got hurt. At least they get the message after their confinement and a lecture from Andreus himself, a very talented and determined Healer.

"I'm on it." Andreus said as he turned to the direction of Mr. Hans's room. "You can go back to the station now."

"I think you might need help regarding this one, sir." The nurse said. "It's really bad."

Andreus gave him a look and walked faster into the room. Mr. Meadows was a well-to-do businessman and had his own private room.

"Mr. Meadows, Walter was telling me that…" his sentence was cut short once he saw that Mr. Hans was soundly sleeping on the bed.

"Well, there seems to be nothing--"

"_Obliviate!"_

(--)

Lily sat on the Gryffindor table, playing with her breakfast while supposedly listen to what Alice was saying beside her. She was not the only one who wasn't in the mood to eat. The whole batch of fifth years seemed to have lost their appetites. She didn't blame them. It was the first day of OWLs after all.

Lily, however, was not very nervous about the test. She studied almost everything there was to know about Defense, Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration before she entered the Fracas. For her and all the other members, it was just a matter of revision. Lily felt very bad about Frank's Memory Charm. She hoped that it would not change anything between them.

"… and I _know _he doesn't think I can take it! As if I'm that vulnerable! I'm not some damsel in distress! Lily? Lily!"

Lily quickly snapped away from her thoughts and looked at the girl beside her. "What?"

Alice sighed. "I knew you weren't listening."

"I'm sorry." Lily yawned. "Just tired."

"I can't believe you still have to study." Alice said, taking a substantial amount of food into her plate. She seemed to be the only who had the heart to eat. "I mean, you're already some bloody prodigy!"

Lily smirked. "I'm not that perfect."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Of course you're not. Your attention span is way below average. Anyway, as I was saying, Frank was a bit off yesterday when I visited him in their common room--"

"You went to their common room?"

"Why does everybody make it sound like murder? Anyway, he seemed to have a very big problem which he couldn't tell me. He said that if I let him off just that once, he'll never keep secrets from me again."

Lily raised her brows. "He said that?"

"He said that. It's really sweet, considering that boys usually keep stuff from their girlfriends. But anyway, this morning when I went to their table and talked to him, he said he couldn't remember what his problem was!"

Lily felt a small amount of guilt upon hearing that. Frank must have been very bothered before the charm was cast on him.

"I understand that he doesn't want to tell me, but he doesn't have to act like we never talked about it! It's just bloody irritating!"

"Did he remember what happened last night?"

Alice shook her head. "Except for that awfully long snog we had afterwards. For someone whose sexuality has been questioned, Frank is pretty good."

"I did not need to know that." Lily said, scrunching her face up in disgust. Alice grinned.

"Of course you don't. I know Frank is not your type. You type is more like," Alice jerked her head at the direction of four particular boys a few people away from them. Lily sighed.

"Nothing's going on between us."

"Yes, except for a very depressing relationship. I don't know what happened, but it's very obvious you care about each other."

"I doubt Potter cares about me."

"Well he doesn't really let you catch him whenever he stares at you. And I caught you staring at him once during Transfiguration."

Lily felt her face grow warm. She was sure that she was blushing madly. "I did not!"

"You did to! And you know it!"

Lily was surprised. Those fleeting glances she sent James were always done subconsciously. She never thought that anyone would catch her at it.

"Also," Alice continued. "He hasn't dated for several months. Do you know how long that is? Considering that he's James Potter?"

"Didn't know that dating is measured in dog years."

"Whatever. Anyway, if you're not dating him, why not date someone else?"

Lily shrugged, not believing she was having dating talkes with Alice. "I'm not really into dating."

"Darling, everyone knows that, but once you start doing so, boys will know that you're finally on the market." Lily winced. "Before you know it, you've already forgotten about Potter."

Lily stared at her friend. Did she want to forget about him? It was for the best, she supposed. After all, things were too messy between them, and thoughts of James were affecting her focus on the Fracas.

"Now let's find you a date… hmm." She began to look around the Great Hall

"Alice, I don't think it's--"

"Aha!" Alice cried. "How about Snape? He's perfect for you! You'd be the best nerd couple Hogwarts has ever se—hey!"

Lily had thrown a slice of buttered toast at her. "Not funny."

They were still on the subject of Snape and in the middle of a small food fight when a certain Advance Guard arrived in the Great Hall.

(--)

_Dear Dad,_

_OWLs are coming up. Don't worry. All of us are taking it seriously, even Sirius (no pun intended). I'm sure we're all going to make it._

_Anyway, I'm not just writing you concerning the exams. There is an Advance Guard here, Gabriel Savio. He graduated from Durmstrang and he's taking up lessons here for a while. Sirius and I met him very early this morning (don't ask how, promise we're not in trouble) and he said he had to go away for some time because he got a call._

_I just wanted to make sure everything is all right over there._

_ Love,_

_ James._

James tied the sealed letter onto his owl's leg as it pecked on some of his toast. He and his friends were not eating much, even Peter. Sirius was recounting to Remus what Gabriel told them about the impossibility of getting an O in History of Magic.

James sighed. He hoped that his Dad would write back soon. He had a very bad feeling about Gabriel; despite everyone else thinking that he was trustworthy. He glanced at the teachers' table and saw that his seat was empty. _Weird,_ James thought. _He said he's be back by morning._

As if Fate was mocking him, Gabriel Savio entered the Great Hall at that precise moment. Instead of heading towards the teachers' table, he went straight to the Gryffindors, sitting down beside a particular redhead. James felt his fingernails dig into his palm as his grip on his fork tightened.

"You okay, Prongs?" Peter asked beside him.

James looked away from Gabriel's direction. "I'm fine, Wormtail."

"Hey look!" Sirius said. "Gabriel's here." He called the Auror to join them on their part of the table, much to James's chagrin. He even sat between James and Sirius.

James tried very hard to ignore him as he confirmed to Remus about the test. It wasn't easy to do as on his other side, Peter was listening intently and asked a few questions.

"I don't get it." Remus breathed. "And I was hoping to get all Os. Oh well, I can't be that perfect." Sirius snorted. "But if I can't maybe Lily could…" he trailed off, realizing that he mentioned Lily's name in James's presence.

(--)

Gabriel tried to keep himself from smiling. "Lily could what?"

"Oh, nothing."

An awkward silence passed. Gabriel applauded the four's loyalty to each other. It was something that others rarely had amongst their friends. He looked at James at his right. He knew that James wanted to ignore him completely, or punch his face to get him to leave. Gabriel though, being both nosy and intervening, did not want to just leave him alone. He just had to antagonize him.

"I know what Lily is up to though." He said. Sirius and Remus looked uneasy. "I think she's planning on dating Severus Snape this year."

The four friends had looks of horror upon their faces. Gabriel laughed. "Joking, joking!"

"Not funny." James said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry." Gabriel said with mirth. "But it is true that she's planning on dating sometime soon. Alice is talking to her about possible candidates. Anyone interested?" Remus, Sirius, and Peter shook their heads quickly. "Ah well. My little flower is finally growing up. Oh, I think professor is calling me. See you!"

He left the table towards his seat beside Professor Slughorn. He couldn't resist but look back at the four. Three of them were merely speechless. The other one looked like he was about to burst.

**AN: Hallooo!!**

**Thanks for all those who reviewed. To the other ones who didn't you're still probably mad at me for the delay (peace!), or for the fact that I haven't rewritten. My reason?**

**I was talking to a friend of mine who read the story. I told him my plan of rewriting it. And he said… what for?**

**Me: Well… it sucks!"**

**Him: Doesn't matter. The readers get the plot anyway. Just do better in the future. Besides, I know you're too lazy to rewrite.**

**Soooooooooo there. The truth hurts… badly. **

**Oh, by the way. One of you suggested that I read the Twilight series. I got the copy just at the beginning of the year. I've got to say… **

**IT THE SAPPIEST, EMO-EST, ANGSTIEST, CUT-MY-WRIST-WITH-A-BLADE BOOK SERIES EVER! AND I LOVE IT! (Yay Edward!) **

**Can't say I'll be writing its fics though. I also can't wait for the movie (Yay RPats!). My sister is practically addicted to it (Even though I read the books first) and she's sharing with me all the latest sneak peaks, interviews, etc. **

**That's all for this time…**

**R&R**

**EatOthis**


	19. Chapter 18

Mr

**This chapter was supposed to be two separate chapters, but I decided to give you a long one instead. Enjoy!**

Mr. Herbert Dearborn entered the Ministry of Magic at a very early hour. It was not office hours yet and there were no paper airplanes flying around or Ministry employees rushing from one place to another. There were only a few Hose Elves tidying up the place and some guards.

"Good morning, Herbert." The man on the lift said.

""Morning, Hansel." Mr. Dearborn greeted him. "You're early."

"I can say the same for you. I wanted to make sure everything is ready for the upcoming Wizengamot meeting. How about you?"

"I got a call from the department. Looks like there had been reports about a random Obliviator running around."

"Really? It's not in the news. Is everything alright?"

Mr. Dearborn shrugged. "I don't know yet. Quite frankly, I don't think much of it. Nothing seems to be unusual going around that shows mass memory loss. But I think I still have to check on this though."

The lift stopped on a floor. "Well, this is my stop." The man called Hansel said. "See you, Herbert."

The lift went on and finally halted at Mr. Dearborn's destination. He yawned. It was still very early and he was partially irritated that he, of all people, was called. In all fairness though, he couldn't blame the people of his department. He was, in all modesty, one of the best Ministry officials there were.

IT was one of the perks of being an Fracas member.

He walked towards the meeting room, where he was summoned. _Strange, _he thought. It was awfully quiet inside.

He cautiously opened the door to find out that the room was filled with several unconscious people. He recognized them all. There were Aurors, Healers, a housewife, a shopkeeper, and Ministry officials.

Suddenly, someone tapped him from behind. "What the--"

"_Obliviate!"_

(--)

James maneuvered his broom around the Quidditch pitch with the gray skies covering him from the rising sun. It was the last day of exams and he decided to clear his head of all the anxiousness before the test. The pitch was empty aside from him and the Snitch that he was chasing around. He was a Chaser for the team, but when he was alone, he liked to tag after the small golden ball.

James checked his watch to see that breakfast was about to start. His friends were probably up by now. He caught the Snitch after a few minutes, went down to the locker rooms and took a shower. He packed his belongings and carried his broomstick over his shoulder. Then, he saw the golden Snitch caught between two armguards. _Why not?_ He thought as he pocketed the Snitch and headed towards the tower. As he was passing by the silent corridors leading to the Fat Lady, his pace slowed down to a slow walk.

A redheaded figure was standing outside the portrait with her back turned to him. She was talking to a boy that James knew to be in the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

As he came nearer, he heard Lily stutter "…I'm really sorry… I mean… I'm not really…"

"It's all right," the boy said. "Really, it is. I understand." With one final smile, the boy turned and left.

(--)

Lily sighed. That boy had been the fifth person she had to turn down. Apparently, people had been talking about her supposed interest in dating. She rolled her eyes. Trust Hogwarts to be the home of a big gossip chain.

Lily turned to get back to the Common Room and saw James Potter standing behind her with his broomstick.

An awkward silence passed. He was staring at her with a look that made Lily squirm inside. She wanted him to say something, anything, for she didn't know what to say in front of him.

"Good morning." James finally said.

Lily nodded. "'Morning." She willed her feet to stir herself in front of the portrait. After saying the password, she entered the Common Room as quickly as she could and ran towards her dormitory, not turning back.

(--)

Sirius could not concentrate. The Snitch was flying around the four of them during breakfast and James kept on letting it go and catching it. The golden ball flew only around them and was too small to be caught by the teachers. Peter was watching James with pure awe.

_Great._ Sirius thought. _Now Peter's not the only one getting on my nerves. _

He let out a loud breath and went back to his Defense book. The big sigh did not go unnoticed.

"Relax, Padfoot." Remus said. "It's bad for you if you cram too much."

Sirius rolled his eyes but shut his book nonetheless. He had not thought that there would be a time when he gets annoyed with his three friends all at once. He was a little irritated at Remus (_bloody genius), _but he knew that his friend meant well. He stared at his food, trying to ignore the golden ball as it flitted past their faces before James caught it once more. Now it was Remus's turn to sigh.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.

"He's at it again." Remus whispered to him so that only the two of them would hear. "His ego is back. Something about Lily must have triggered it again."

"I think I'm beginning to hate her."

"I don't think it's all her fault." Remus said as he played with his food. "I heard that Alice spread this rumor about her being open for dating and all."

"She sounds like some house for sale."

"Yes, and based on the male population's reaction, the house is quite attractive."

Sirius turned to look at the redhead sitting on the Hufflepuff table with Alice and Frank. He never thought of placing Lily Evans into his list of Hogwarts beauties (and it was a substantial list too). But Lily had this mystery that he knew a handful of guys, like James, liked. Though she didn't attract as much boys as Alice Prewett did, Sirius knew that the smart blokes liked her. She was also nice to younger students and Slytherins, making her tolerable to those that the Marauders didn't dare to mingle with.

The ringing of the bell interrupted Sirius's thoughts and he wolfed down all he could, since he had not eaten anything yet.

(--)

Mrs. McKinnon was sitting inside the Three Broomsticks, sipping a small bottle of firewhisky. She was actually on her way to Hogwarts to see her daughter, Marlene, who just had a nervous breakdown over the OWLs and was in the Hospital Wing, according to an official letter from her Head of House. It was weird of her daughter to physically succumb to pressure. Marlene was a very tough girl, tough enough to inherit her mother's former brown seat in the discussion room of the House Council.

"D'you want anything else with that, Ma'am?" the beautiful young lady bartender asked her as she approached the table. It was a little too late for lunch already and her costumers had left. Only Mrs. McKinnon and Rosmerta were left. "It's past lunch. Your stomach might not take it easily."

"I'm fine, Rosmerta. I hold my liquor well." Mrs. McKinnon replied with a small smile. She looked around and saw several tables with dirty dishes. "Aren't you supposed to clean up?

The bartender waved a hand. "Nah. Lunch is finished. No one else is coming here by this hour. So is there any reason why you're drinking so early?"

Mrs. McKinnon sighed and fell silent for a while. "Have you heard the news?"

Rosmerta's expression saddened. "Yes," she answered. "They're targeting us now."

"I hope my daughter is going to be safe."

"Don't worry, Ma'am. Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain. I doubt they'd get through it."

"I hope so, Rosmerta. I really hope so."

Rosmerta's remarks were cut off by the sound of the door opening.

"Hello."

"Oh, hi!" Rosmerta cheerfully greeted the customer. "Didn't expect you here by this hour."

The person smiled at her and suddenly pulled a wand out. Before any of the two women could retaliate, they were lying on the floor with most of their precious memories forgotten.

(--)

"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake," Sirius said. "I'll be surprised if I don't get 'Outstanding' on it at least."

Remus rolled his eyes from behind Sirius. The Defense written exam had just ended and Sirius was already bragging his mouth off. It was as if he was not fidgeting in his seat just several hours earlier.

"Me too," said James. He took his hand in his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch.

Remus rolled his eyes once more and asked the question he had wanted to ask since morning. "Where'd you get that?"

"Nicked it," was the only answer he got as James began to play with it.

They settled under the shade of a tree on the edge of the lake. Remus, wanted to ignore the Snitch (and Peter's too enthusiastic reactions) as much as possible, so he got out a Muggle novel and started reading. They were not the only ones relaxing on the lakeside. A lot of other students were milling around the grounds, enjoying the bright sun after the tiring exams.

Once in a while, Remus paused from his reading and looked around the grounds. He saw a group of girls on the lake, one of which was Alice Prewett. Then he saw Lily Evans walk towards the said group. _Funny, _Remus thought. _Frank is not with them._ He watched as the redhead reluctantly approached the girls. He was amused, as Lily rarely associated with other girls in their year. His gaze turned to James, who was also looking at Lily as he let the Snitch fly about. Remus resisted the urge to roll his eyes once more. Didn't James realize that he was not going to catch her attention by showing off?

(--)

"Hello Lily," greeted Alice as she saw her friend walk towards her and the other girls. Lily had a hesitant look on her face. Alice gave her a sympathetic smile. She knew how awkward Lily was with other girls. Others often misunderstood it as pride.

"Hi Alice," she said. "Frank just wanted you to know that he wouldn't be able to spend this afternoon with you like you planned. He's been called to Sprout's office for some help in the greenhouses."

"Oh," Alice said, nodding. "That's fine." She looked at Lily's rather uneasy expression. She sensed that her friend was about to leave. "Come sit with us, Lily"

Lily seemed taken aback, and so did the other girls around her. "That's okay." Lily began. "I just needed to tell you--"

"Oh it's fine," said Alice a bit too enthusiastically. She withdrew her feet from the lake and stood barefoot on the grass to grab onto Lily's arm and practically shove her beside her spot on the bank. She began to take off Lily's left shoe, much to the girl's chagrin. She didn't understand why she was so insecure. Some of the girls were her roommates after all.

"I really didn't mean to intrude--"

"Relax," Marlene McKinnon said from Alice's other side. "We don't bite."

"Lene's right." Dorcas Meadows said. "Besides, since James Potter keeps ogling at you, there's a chance Sirius Black might look this way."

The girls all giggled at the comment, except for Lily who turned as red as her hair.

"So what's going on between the two of you?" Parvinder Patil asked. All girls leaned towards her, waiting for an answer. Alice wondered if Lily could ever become as embarrassed as she was at the moment. Slice was actually enjoying having her new friend in the spotlight. Lily almost never talked to other girls besides her.

"N-nothing." She mumbled. "We haven't even talked--"

"Oh rubbish. You were getting along very well in the middle of the year," said Sandra Bones. "You're the first girl James set his eyes upon, after all."

"Imagine having him stare at you so intensely like that," Parvinder sighed dreamily.

"Oh I would know," Amanda Vane said, speaking for the first time. "I dated him." She had been scowling at Lily's direction ever since she arrived. Lily didn't notice it, but Alice did.

"We know, Mands." Marlene told her. "And so did a million other girls out there. But you've got to admit that he's always spacing out. He even mixed our Potion once in class because Lily passed by."

"Really," Lily said, trying not to sound so nonchalant. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Doesn't matter," said Dorcas. "I have my eyes on that Black and that Black alone."

"Oh come on," Marlene groaned. "He laughs like a dog, and he eats like a pig."

"Oh don't be such a man-hater."

Alice watched the conversation in silence. She didn't even have to say anything to make the girls talk to her. She looked at her friend beside her and smiled. Lily was still blushing madly, but she was smiling over the girls' friendly banter.

It was all going so well until a certain interruption occurred.

(--)

"Wash your mouth," James told Snape as he stood over the magically bound figure in front of him. _"Scourgify_

Snape's was suddenly filled with foamy soap bubbles. James watched his prey suffer and tried to ignore the small voice in the back of her head telling him that it was wrong. He didn't really understand why he was doing it, but at the moment, he felt powerful, in control. People were already flocked around them, watching the commotion.

"Leave him ALONE!"

James turned to find a certain redhead behind them. He felt that familiar knot in his stomach once more. "All right, Evans?" he greeted, trying to sound smooth.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated with venom. "What's he done to you?"

James slightly narrowed his eyes. Just that morning, she refused to talk to him, and now she was reprimanding him in defense to someone who hated her. In the end, he couldn't help himself.

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean."

The crowd laughed. James basked on it. _They _thought it was amusing, so why deny them the pleasure?

"You think you're so funny," Lily said in a dangerously cal voice. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone_."

James felt anger boil in his blood. _Why _was she defending him? Sure, Lily was nice and all, but she didn't need to defend _Snivellus, _who was anything but civil to her. Why was she so nice to _Snape _when she couldn't even say three words to _him, _one of Hogwarts' most sought-after guys?

He realized that the words were getting out of his mouth before he could even think about them.

"I will if you go out with me, _Evans,"_ he said, emphasizing the use of her last name. "Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid."

The crowd 'oohed', at the comment. James was bemused.

"Bad luck, Prongs… OI!"

Suddenly, James felt a searing pain on his cheek. Snape had taken hold of his wand and he had placed a gash on James's face. James retaliated by hanging Snape upside down in the air. The crowd cheered upon the sight of Snape's worn underwear.

"Let him down!"

James smirked. "Certainly." He let go of the spell, making Snape fall on the ground. Before he could get his wand up, Sirius petrified him.

James laughed at him, and so did the crowd. But they all stopped upon seeing Lily raise her own wand. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

James eyed the wand warily. He knew that he was no match against Lily, her being the top of class and all. She probably knew more jinxes and hexes than anyone else. Besides, he didn't want to fight a girl, especially not with all those people watching.

"Ah, Evans," he said as confidently as he could. "Don't make me hex you."

"Take the curse off him then!" Lily's expression had turned dangerously calm. James had never seen her mad. Part of him wanted to challenge her. But behind her, he saw Remus's disapproving gaze. He knew that his friend was disappointed in him. He knew Remus chose not to interfere because he thought James could handle it. Apparently, he could not.

James sighed heavily. "There you go," he said as he lifted the charm off of Sanpe. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus--"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

James felt his blood boil once more upon hearing the M-word. He couldn't believe Snape. There he was, being defended by one of the nicest girls in school, and all he could give her back was an insult.

"Fine," Lily said, still in that calm, ominous voice. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus._" She said the last word with so much venom that even James felt the hair on his neck stand.

"Apologise to Evans." James shouted, aiming his wand at Snape.

That seemed to be the last straw for Lily. "I don't want you to make him apologise!" she shouted. "You're as bad as he is!"

"What?" said Jamed. "I'd _never _call you a-- you-know-what!"

'"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can - I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK.' Lily turned and walked away from them.

James was stunned. So was everyone else. That was the first time Lily ever shouted. She was always so quiet. James thought that he had seen the worst of her when they were in the cemetery in France. But this time, she was not scared. She was just plain angry.

'Evans!' James shouted after her. He did _not _want those words to be the last thing that would pass between them. 'Hey, EVANS!'

The crowd was now murmuring to each other. James didn't doubt that they were talking about what Lily called him. "What is it with her?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

'Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate,' said Sirius.

"Right," James said as he tried to control his anger on the situation. "Right," He saw Snape, still trying to get up from the ground. Instead of stopping there and walking away as Lily would've liked, he decided to keep going. After all, it was her fault for making him look like an idiot.

After another second, Snape was once again, hanging up in the air with his robes dangling in front of his face. James smirked. "Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

"That's enough!"

Everyone turned to see a furious Professor Slughorn and an expressionless Gabriel Savio coming towards them.

(--)

"Is she all right?"

"I think she's asleep."

"Do you think we should call a teacher?"

Lily heard her roommates from outside her covered four-poster. She was grateful for their concern. She had practically locked herself up in their dormitory right after the last exam. She was glad OWLs were over. She thought that she did not do her best on the last test, which was Transfiguration. She hoped she could at least get an A.

When she left the incident by the lake, she went to the nearest professor, Professor Slughorn, and reported the incident. It was her duty as prefect to do so (and she'd been neglecting her duties lately). She did not go back to the lake after that, but instead locked herself up in the library until the bell rang.

She had never felt so angry. The last time she shouted was inside the Fracas, when two players were getting out of control. She did not know what was going on with James. She knew that he was turning into a show-off. The Golden Snitch did not go unnoticed by her at breakfast. But she couldn't believe that he'd actually resort to bullying.

He even asked her out. Lily knew he only did it to annoy her and to show off. Or maybe he was just thick enough to think she'd actually say yes. He almost forced Snape to apologize to her, and Lily reached her boiling point. Yes, Snape was not one of Lily's favorite people, but James had no right to command people just because they were vulnerable.

He called her by her last name. It wasn't supposed to mean anything, since they were not friends anymore, but Lily couldn't deny that it had its effect on her.

"Lily," Alice's voice came through the drapes. "We're going down to dinner. Aren't you coming?"

"You go ahead." Lily answered, not leaving her curled up position. "I'm not feeling well."

"All right." Alice said solemnly. "We'll be back later."

The sound of the door closing indicated that they left. Lily sighed and got out of the bed. She stood up, went to the bathroom and faced the mirror. She looked like she had just wrestled a threstal and a hyppogriff at the same time. There were bags under her eyes, her skin was so pale, and she thought that she lost a few pounds over the past week. She sighed. She really needed to rest, but keeping up with her responsibilities was taking its toll on her.

The weekly updates from the Fracas graduates in the Ministry and beyond suddenly stopped. She had already written to her correspondents, but none of them replied. She asked their children or any other family who was at Hogwarts if they were all right. They seemed to be safe. It bothered Lily. Why did they suddenly stop writing her? She wanted to talk to Frank about it, but his memory alteration prevented that. She had to talk to someone else instead.

She then noticed a small purplish blob crawl up the mirror on the wall. It was none other than a miniature version of Gabriel's Patronus.

"Hey Lils," a voice coming from the blob said. "Just checking up on you. McGonagall is giving them a really good detention. I'll try to talk to him, okay. So stop crying… you _are _crying, right? Anyway, feel better." The slug vanished after completing the message.

Lily smiled. No, she was not crying. She herself thought that she would, she almost wished that she would. The last time she did was a very long time ago. _No, _she thought. _James Potter is not a reason for me to cry. _

(--)

_A six year-old Lily Evans woke up even before the rising of the sun. Happy Birthday, Lily thought. She smiled._

_It was the day she turned six and her parents promised her a party with all her friends from school. When Petunia turned seven, their Dad brought her a shiny pink bicycle, complete with colored streamers and a big basket on front. Petunia used to give her rides on it to the park until she decided to go riding with her friends._

_Lily wanted one too so she didn't have to ask Petunia for rides anymore. Maybe they were getting her something different? It didn't matter as long as she liked it. _

_She got out of bed and ran towards her parents' room. She went inside unannounced and jumped on her parents' bed._

"_Mummy? Mummy! It's my birthday!" _

"_Oi! Bloody hell!"_

_Lily was startled by the long string of swear words that came out of her father's mouth. _

"_Do you know what time it is, Lily?" Her Mum sleepily scolded._

"_It's my birthday Mum! Am I going to have a party? Like Petunia? Can I have a bicycle too? I'll be really good… please."_

_Her mother looked at her like she was insane. "But Lily, your birthday is not until the 30__th__ of January."_

_Lily's smile faltered. "But it _is_ the 30__th__ of January."_

_Her mother frowned at her. She looked over to her desk calendar that was sitting on her bedside table. It showed that it really was January the 30__th__. Her mother sighed. "I'm sorry, Lily." She said in a sympathetic voice. "I think we forgot--"_

_Lily didn't hear the rest of what she was saying. She found herself nodding at whatever she was saying. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. The next thing she knew, she was leaving her parents' room and walking back to her own room. She shut the door behind her and broke down._

_She hated her parents for forgetting. How could they do that? Why did they forget her birthday when they never forgot Petunia's? Was it because she didn't win the Little Winter Princess pageant like Petunia did? Was it because she didn't join in the drama club, like her sister? Was it because she couldn't dance, or paint, or sing, or play lacrosse? It wasn't fair! Lily was the smartest in her grade. Her teachers awarded her as Nicest Student. She learned how to read even before she knew how to walk. _

_Lily wiped her tears away. From that day onwards, Lily decided that she would never expect anything from her parents any longer. Since they didn't care about her, she would run away. Yes, she would go somewhere else and look for another family that would take her in, one that would not forget her birthday. She was six years old. She could do it!_

_She got out her school bags and dumped her books on the floor, except for one: her English book. It wouldn't do to get bored. She dressed herself up, not bothering to brush her hair. It was always a bother. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her blouse was inside out and her socks didn't match, but she paid no attention to them. She got out some of her clothes and began to pack while crying. She went to the kitchen and quickly opened the fridge. She took out as much candy as she could, and even got some from Petunia's secret stash. She wasn't going to see her again anyway. _

_With a piece of paper and a crayon (which was all she could find), she wrote a goodbye letter to her parents, telling them that they would not have to memorize her birthday anymore because she was leaving. She thought that she could do better with her handwriting, but it would do._

_Lily opened the front door and suddenly, the harsh winter coldness greeted her. She could see her own breath mingle with the cold air. It was freezing._

_The little girl ignored the fear building up inside of her and closed the door behind her. She cautiously trudged across the thick snow on her lawn, thankful that it didn't reach up to her waist. She walked on, not really knowing where to go. Several minutes later, she saw a crowd of people dressed in black in front of the nearby church. One woman was weeping her eyes out. Lily wondered what was going on. There was a long black car parked near them. Lily neared it. She was tired of walking and her mittened fingers were numb. She hid behind the car and saw that the rear door was open. There was a big white ornately decorated box inside it. After checking if there was no one looking, Lily crawled up to the vehicle's compartment and hid behind the white box. She fit perfectly behind it._

_A few minutes later, voices came around. "Sad." A man's voice said. "It's very sad."_

"_His children didn't like him though." Another masculine voice said. "There were all after their inheritance in the end."_

"_I can't really blame them. You know that the kids around here say that this man tried to catch and eat them. It scares the shit out of them."_

"_Gah, those are just rumors. Old man Stanton in here is a good chap… as long as he doesn't get crossed. And no one deserves to die like he did, with his head completely smashed on the wall. It's not a pretty sight, I tell you."_

_The door of the vehicle closed and Lily stood from her crouching position. The roof of the car was slightly touching her head and the elegant box was just tall enough for her to sit on. She stared at it. She had seen one before in a story book, only shorter. It was a chest filled with treasures of gold, silver, jewelry and precious stones. She wondered if the box in front of her was the same._

_She placed her small hands on the lid, trying to open it. It was heavy, so she used her whole body as leverage. The lid refused to open so she tried another direction. Then, the lid started to give in. Her hands began to hurt, but she ignored them, thinking that she needed the money when she ran out of food to eat. She continued to open the box as the vehicle began to move. Lily didn't pay it much attention, though it made her a little dizzy. _

_Suddenly, the vehicle went into a quick swerve to the right. The inertia enabled Lily to open the lid. She felt a sense of victory and looked at the contents of the box. It was too dark in the compartment to see, but it sort of smelled funny. She leaned closer towards it. Then, another sudden swerve had her off balance and into the box. Its lid closed behind her. She tried to push it open, but it was too heavy. She was trapped._

_It was darker now inside the box, but she could feel lacy cloths around her and something cold and hard underneath. She felt the tears come again. NO! She would not cry for her parents. They hated her! She would not go back home!_

_But the tears fell freely from her eyes. She wiped them away while reaching for her backpack and letting out a flashlight she had stolen from their kitchen. She needed to find the side of the lid that opened up._

_She turned the torch on and saw right in front of her, a pair of black formal loafers. She was disappointed, thinking that there would be money inside the box. Then, her hand landed on something beside her. It was another hand. She slowly turned her head around to see the most frightening sight that would haunt her for the rest of her life._

(--)

Gabriel's magically colored eyes drilled imaginary holes through James Potter's back as he wiped off the dust from a step on the staircase. Professor McGonagall had issued upon the Marauders one of the unforgiving detentions ever: cleaning the stairs. Not only did they have to clean five stories of stairs without magic, it also didn't help that the stairs kept on changing their positions. Gabriel was in charge of watching them, since the teachers were grading papers and McGonagall didn't trust Filch enough to just watch the particular students.

Gabriel silently agreed to this cruel punishment. It was already nearing one in the morning and the four boys now looked very tired, especially Remus, who was there just because he was prefect and didn't do anything about the incident. Gabriel pitied the poor boy. He even pitied Peter, who was just there because of his loyalty, and Sirius who just joined James in the 'fun' because he had been irritated with everyone since exams came.

The only person Gabriel did not feel anything for was James.

He wanted the boy to finally grow up and be the boy he was before he started to mess with the Fracas. Gabriel sighed. It was always bad news for an outsider to mess with the society.

He looked over to them once more. Remus was now dragging his feet up a flight of stairs and looked as if he was about to fall. Sirius's eyes were half closed as he wiped on the marble banister. Peter was panting heavily as he carried a bucket of water to the next flight of stairs. It was a pathetic sight, so Gabriel finally consented.

"Lupin, Black, Pettigrew! Your time's up! Get back to your dorms!"

The three looked at James, who shrugged at them and motioned for them to go.

(--)

"I'll be fine," James told his friends. "Just go. You all look like shit."

The three looked at each other. "Sorry to leave you, mate."

"Just make sure he doesn't hurt you, okay."

James rolled his eyes. "He's not going to hurt me. I think he's making me stay because I started it anyway."

The three finally headed for Gryffindor Tower to rest, leaving James and Gabriel alone in the stairwell. James felt his gaze boring onto the back of his head. The Auror had been staring at him ever since detention started nearly six hours ago. Maybe it was why his friends were concerned with his wellbeing. After several minutes, James faced him.

"Alright," James told him. "What do you want?"

Gabriel's gaze didn't falter. He was staring at him with the same expression Lily had when they were down by the lake. It made him feel uneasy.

"Just the reason." Gabriel answered him.

"What reason?"

"The reason why you did what you did today, or shall I say," he looked at his watch. "Yesterday."

James narrowed his eyes. He was so nosy. "I don't need to explain my actions to you."

"Oh, but you will, James. And you will also apologize to Lily afterwards… or is she Evans to you now?"

James felt his anger rise up once more. "There's nothing to apologize for," he said. "She was not the one I was picking on. I even defended her! It's her fault for siding with the wrong person!"

"So you admit you were picking on Snape?"

James rolled his eyes. "So what? He's Snape! He's a Death Eater in the making, an expert in the Dark Arts! And he doesn't even wash his hair, or his under--"

"James," Gabriel said as he neared James, his voice dangerously low. "Do you know that the more you say that, the more Severus becomes motivated to join the ranks of those cowards?"

James was taken aback. This was the second time he made a calm person angry, but he would not end up being the idiot again. "So what? He's destined to become one anyway."

Suddenly, Gabriel had grabbed him by the collar of his robes and he was shoved against the wall. "You listen here, _Potter, _Death Eaters are people who torture others who are weak and helpless and vulnerable," he slightly shook James. "Do you realize that if you repeat what you just did, you'd become like one of them?"

James was angry that he dared to touch him, and angrier that he compared him to a Death Eater, but he did see the logic in those words. The Auror was right, of course.

"Do you understand?" Gabriel asked him. He nodded and he was instantly released. James touched his neck. The grip on him was heavy enough to leave a bruise, but it was still strong.

"Get yourself to bed." Gabriel said in a lighter tone.

"But the stairwell isn't fini--"

"I'll tell McGonagall that you finished it tonight. In return, I want you to talk to Lily and apologize. Got it?"

James was not really sure on how he would approach the girl, but he nodded anyway.

(--) **Where chapter was supposed to end… but I love you all so I went on.** (--)

Lily waved goodbye to Frederick, their driver, before pushing her trolley towards Platform 9 ¾. Her parents were not able to drop her off to the station, so she decided to ask their chauffeur to do so instead. She was disappointed of course, but she didn't expect them to anyway.

"We already promised your sister we'd meet the Dursleys today." Her mother had told her the day before. "I wish we could drop you off on the way, but I don't want to be late. They are really good people, according to your sister. I wish you could come with us too."

Lily inwardly snorted. If Vernon Dursley's family was just like him, she would try her best not to meet them. One neck-less hippo was quite enough for her.

She entered the platform to see the proud sight of the shiny red Hogwarts Express. She smiled, realizing how much she missed school during her uneventful summer. Alice and Frank wrote to her frequently. Alice even visited her house, much to Petunia's distaste. Lily was glad Alice visited; it definitely broke the monotony of her break.

(--)

_Lily blew her hair away from her eyes as she scribbled notes on her summer homework. She was in her room in her parents' home in the suburbs of London. She was so far from Hogwarts. She longed for the atmosphere of the Library and the grounds. _

_She also missed the Fracas, though she had a lot of problems about it. The alumni of the society were still not responding to her letters. _Maybe they got tired of answering, _Lily thought. But she knew it was impossible. It was in their code of honor as members to help the Laedan in all ways necessary. She had to find out what was going on. _

_Her thoughts were interrupted by her sister's deafening shriek._

_After recovering from the shock, Lily rolled her eyes and left her homework to go downstairs. In the living room, she saw Petunia hiding behind her mother as her father opened the window to let an official-looking owl in._

"_G-get that t-thing out o-of here!" Petunia cried._

"_Calm down, Tuney." Her mother said. "It's just mail for Lily," the owl hopped onto the window sill and made a bow-like gesture, as if in greeting. "See, it's tame."_

"_I d-don't care! G-get it out!"_

_Their father sighed. "Lily, get your letter before your sister gets into one of those hysterics. I need to finish reading some reports."_

_Lily got her mail and let the owl fly away, much to Petunia's relief. Her parents left the room, seeing as the commotion was over. Lily looked at mail to see that it was a Hogwarts letter._

"_Only barbarians can make wild birds carry their mail," Petunia scathingly said. "Freak."_

_She marched out of the room, leaving Lily alone. Lily rolled her eyes at her back and looked down at her letter. She hurriedly opened it and saw that the school had sent her the results of her OWLs._

_She opened it without much enthusiasm. Everyone expected high grades from her that even her parents lost their excitement over her usual straight Os. She scanned the contents of her letter._

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results_

_Pass Grades:_

_Outstanding (O)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E)_

_Acceptable (A)_

_Fail Grades:_

_Poor (P)_

_Dreadful (D)_

_Troll (T)_

_Lily Evans has achieved:_

_Ancient Runes O_

_Arithmancy E_

_Astronomy O_

_Care of Magical Creatures O_

_Charms O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts O_

_Divination A_

_Herbology O_

_Potions O_

_Transfiguration P_

_Lily's gaze was frozen upon seeing her last grade. She failed Transfiguration, and it was a major subject. She didn't mind failing the less important ones like Divination (which she only took because Frank did) or Arithmancy (it was boring anyway), but TRANSFIGURATION!_

_She went back up to her room in a daze and sat down on her bed. She looked at the letter once again. She didn't really know what to do. It was stupid of her to fail the test. She knew that she didn't really try her best, as she was emotionally distraught at that time. _

_She was snapped out of her thoughts once more as Petunia's second scream disrupted the house. _

_Lily sighed and went back down to the living room, subconsciously holding her exam results. She was greeted by the sight of her sister hitting someone with a roll of newspaper. Alice was lightly dusted with ashes and was in danger of falling backwards into the fireplace._

"_GET OUT! GET OUT YOU FREAK!"_

"_Hey! Knock it off! Ow! Bloody hell!" Alice was shielding her head with her arms as Petunia violently attacked her._

"_Alice!" Lily cried. "Petunia! Stop it! Just stop it!"_

_She succeeded in dragging her sister away from her friend and taking the newspaper out from her grip as her parents arrived._

"_What is it now?" their father asked._

"_That… that FREAK," Petunia cried, pointing a finger at Alice. "Just… just came down from the fireplace! Like Father Christmas or something!"  
_

"_Relax, Tuney." Lily said, not wanting to fight her. "It's just Floo. We use it to travel."_

"_Well what if I had friends over?" Petunia shouted accusingly. "Or if Frederick or Cheska suddenly came here and saw her! What will you do, huh?"_

"_Petunia," their mother said. She was massaging her temples and looked quite irritated. "Calm down. Those two are in their day off and--"_

"_I don't care!" Petunia cried and looked at Lily coldly. "I don't want to be associated with one of her kind." She stormed out of the room._

_Lily helped Alice dust the ashes off her clothes and introduced her to her parents._

"_Mum, Dad, this is Alice Prewett. She's a friend from school."_

"_Really?" her mother said, shaking Alice's hand warmly. "Well we're delighted to have you here, dear. We rarely have Lily's friends over. I'm sorry about Petunia. She gets upset with magic."_

"_So your whole family is magical?" Mr. Evans asked her curiously. _

"_Yes, sir. Our magical lineage goes way back."_

"_Wow."_

"_Oh I do wish we had Cheska in today," Mrs. Evans said. "None of us in the family really cooks, you know. But I do believe there are some cookies in the kitchen. Lily, go and get some for your friend."_

"_It's alright, Mum." Lily said. "I'll make her something."_

"_Finally, you're doing something else beside read." Mrs. Evans said and turned to Alice. "Lily has spent the entire summer locked up in her room with quills and parchment and books. She absolutely refused to go shopping with me and her sister."_

_Lily swore she heard Alice mutter an "I can't imagine why," before thanking her mother. _

"_May we be excused?" Lily said, before her mother could talk more. "I'd like to show Alice my room."_

_Once they were in her room and out of her parents' sight, Lily began to ask Alice her questions. _

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_Did you get your OWL results?" Alice asked, not answering her question. "Oh, here there are." She snatched the parchment out of Lily's hand. "Let's see… O, E, O, O, O…" she then stopped walking upon finishing it. "You failed Transfiguration! There must be some mistake! The examiners must be mad!"_

_Lily sighed and sat down on her bed as Alice paced around. "I know."_

"_McGonagall only takes nothing less than an E!" _

"_I know."_

"_This is a major subject! I mean, even I got an E."_

"_I know, Alice."_

_Alice looked at her. "So what are you going to do now?"_

_Lily shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to talk to McGonagall when we arrive at Hogwarts."_

"_Right, 'cause there must be some mistake while they were writing this up." Alice put down the results and looked around the room. "Nice room."_

"_Thanks," Lily said. She liked her room. Her mother insisted that all the rooms of their house be designed by professionals, and thankfully, hers turned out good. Her room was basically her escape from Petunia and her noisy friends. It had soothing yellow walls and cozy wood furniture. Her bed was just big enough for her. The walls were decorated with several pictures and some posters of Muggle plays. There was a window seat with several stuffed animals on it and one wall was dominated with an enormous shelf filled with books._

"_So, what are doing here again?" Lily asked Alice._

"_Oh, you know. I just wanted to… pop by."_

"_That's quite literal, you know."_

"_I know. You're not mad at me for coming in unannounced right? I mean, I could've gone by broom but Frank told me that you lived in a Muggle neighborhood, and I can't apparate yet."_

_Lily smiled "I'm not mad, I was just considering what Petunia said. What if Cheska was cleaning the fireplace?"_

"_You wrote to Frank, saying that they had the day off."_

"_And is Frank also the reason why you know my address?"_

"_Well, yes. He didn't want to give it to me at first, but a few minutes alone with him were all I needed to persuade him."_

_Lily's face contorted in disgust. "I did not need to know that."_

"_Hey, why aren't the pictures moving?"_

_Alice was now curiously peering at the picture of her in her primary school uniform on the wall. _

_Lily chuckled. "They're Muggle pictures, Alice. I can't put up Wizarding ones as the housekeeper could see them."_

"_It's weird having housekeepers," Alice said. "I mean, I can't imagine having a human being serve me. Isn't that kind of cruel?"  
_

_Lily shook her head. "Not really. They get paid for it."_

_Alice was now looking at the Muggle poster of a play on her wall._

"_West Side Story… Oooh! Marlene really loves this one! Isn't it this romantic play wit the rival families and all that?"_

"_That's the thing."_

"_Speaking of Marlene, she's been kind of depressed lately."_

"_Really, why?" _

"_Well, it's her Mum," Lily leaned forward. Mrs. McKinnon was one of her correspondents. "She said she had been acting weird lately, like she couldn't remember stuff."_

"_Really?"_

"_I know. Weird, right? Ooh, what's that?"_

_Lily's curiosity was piqued at what her friend just said. Marlene McKinnon was not just a member of the society, but also a member of the council. She definitely had to check that out. _

_Lily watched as Alice roamed around her room, looking at things that were not found in the Wizarding World, like the small radio that Lily had on her shelf. _

"_I take it that you haven't been to a Muggle house yet."_

"_No. This is my first time. Can I open your closet?"_

_Lily waved her hand. "Sure, go ahead."_

_Alice opened Lily's wardrobe and searched through her Muggle clothes. "Wow," she said, taking out one of Lily's casual dresses. "These are pretty."_

"_You should see my sister's clothes. She gets new ones every month."_

_Alice snorted. "After how she greeted me? No thank you. Honestly though," she began scanning through her sweaters. "For a certified bookworm, these are not bad." Lily threw a pillow at her._

"_You should tell my Mum that," she said. "She'd collapse in happiness. She insists that we all dress to the nines wherever we go."_

"_Really?" Alice said, her brows raised. "Who would have known… our little Lily Evans: a socialite."_

_Lily laughed. "Shut up or I'll throw another pillow at you."_

"_Fine, fine… ooh, jeans!"_

(--)

"You _failed _Transfiguration!" Frank cried as he and Lily were headed to Professor McGonagall's office. "As in you got a P in the subject?"

"Yes, Frank. You saw the results already."

"I can't believe this!" Frank said. "I really can't:"

"Look at the bright side, Frank," Lily chuckled. "_You're _the top of the class now."

"It's not funny, Lils. I can't even believe you're can smile like that. I mean, it's Transfiguration!"

Lily paused and placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "Frank, everything will be fine. A bad grade is not the end of the world. That's why I'm going to McGonagall right now to sort things out."

"Oh I get it," Frank said, relieved. "You think it's a mistake, right? I mean, there's no possibility that--"

Lily shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm coming to her to ask what choices I have left for the future."

"You mean, careers, right?" Lily nodded. "Oh,"

"Don't worry, Frank. I'll get through this."

"It's just that… well, I've told my Mum that you want a place under her as an intern after we graduate, you know. I mean, you did want to be a Healer, right?"

Lily smiled at Frank, remembering what she had told him after their Career Advice last year. "Yes I did," Lily said. "Thank you, Frank. Just let me go through this, okay. Maybe McGonagall can sort me something out."

With one final smile, she left Frank and proceeded to the Transfiguration classroom. It was already quite late and everyone else was in the dormitories, but she had to talk to the teacher before she could kick her out of the class. She did want to become a Healer. To do that, she needed top grades in almost everything. If she didn't talk to McGonagall about it, she didn't know what she would do in the future.

_Lily Evans, the first Fracas member to be unemployed. _Lily chuckled at the thought.

Even though she knew she shouldn't be, Lily felt calm. She knew that it would work out in the end. Whatever she becomes in the future, she'd make the best out of it.

She politely knocked on the door at the back of the Trasfiguration classroom.

"Ms. Evans," the professor greeted her in a surprised tone once she had opened her door.

"Good evening, Professor." Lily said. "I just wanted to talk to you about exams."

"Well I can't say I did not expect you, but I didn't think you'd come here now. Come in."

Lily entered the teacher's office. It was just like any other's, with a huge wooden desk at the center. A book-filled shelf was pushed against one wall and there were several instruments displayed inside a cupboard.

"Sit down." The teacher said, gesturing to a seat in front of the desk and she sat opposite Lily. "I must say that I am very disappointed with your performance in Transfiguration, Ms. Evans. If you are here to inquire if the results sent to you had some mistakes, I have to tell you, that is not the case."

"I already know that, Professor," Lily said as politely as she could. "I was just wondering if there is still a way for you to take me into your NEWT class."

"Well there is only one way," the teacher said. "You may not like it, but you'd have to take the Remedial class. This means that you would have to graduate late."

Lily sighed. She was dreading that. She had wanted to leave her parents' home by the time she graduated. Graduating late also meant that she'd never be a Healer.

"However," McGonagall continued. "You have done exceptionally well in the other subjects; seven Os and ranking second next to Frank Longbottom. Besides your P, you've done excellently." She got out a piece of paper from underneath a stack on her desk. "We all had a faculty meeting and decided that we would let you carry on with Transfiguration."

Lily's head snapped up once McGonagall finished. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm going to let you take my NEWT level class, Ms. Evans." The teacher repeated. "This is a first, but the faculty has decided to get you through since you're one of our top students. _However_, you have to go under serious tutoring. I'm going to assign you a personal tutor, though I have not decided whom yet. You are to meet with your tutor three to four times a week, depending on your progress and I expect you to earn your grade once the year ends. The faculty also didn't see any other reason to take your prefect badge, so you'll keep it. Do you understand?"

Lily couldn't hide her smile. "Yes. Thank you," she said.

"Good. One more question though," the teacher leaned forward too look at her. "Why did you fail this subject? I know it's not your best one, but I expected you to at least pass it. Are top grades losing their novelty to you?"

Lily shook her head briskly. "No, professor." She answered. "I was just… too stressed, you know… your subject being the last exam and all."

The teacher nodded. "I shall inform you when your tutorials will begin. You may now go to bed, Ms. Evans."

Lily stood up and left the office. She couldn't believe that she could still have the classes. For a moment, she thought that her dreams would end right there. They even let her keep her prefect badge. She couldn't wait to tell the news to Frank.

(--)

"Candela is trying to blind the wolf by its wings. It seems to be working and-- whoa! Great grab there by Husky!

The enormous brown moth flapped its wings furiously as the equally large grey wolf grabbed it on one leg by its powerful jaws.

"Looks like the moth is going to have a hard time trying to get out of this one. Husky must be planning to wear it out. Wait… his grip is getting weaker. Candela is beating her wings faster now."

The cheers from all sides of the arena were louder than ever. It was the first match of the year and Frank could see the enthusiasm of everyone around him. The match was a special one, as two council members were battling each other out. This rarely happened, so it was definitely a treat for everyone.

Somehow though, commentating seemed to be less fun than it was before. Frank wondered why. It was just the same job as always, so why did it feel like something was missing.

Perhaps he had been Speaker long enough.

(--)

Gabriel Savio watched the match from the darkest corner of the arena. He couldn't have anyone seeing him with purple eyes there.

Everyone was loud and boisterous. The Laedan had arranged one of those rare matches, but Gabriel already knew that the wolf would win. Candela was not really in the mood, as were some of the other players in the arena.

Lily had written Gabriel over the summer, telling him of her suspicions that an Obliviator was on the loose. He wondered if she had that idea for a long time. He asked his father about it. His Dad replied that Lily should stop writing, as it seemed like they weren't going to help. This didn't help at all.

He saw Lily talking to the Fracas members before the match. Most of them were a little depressed when they arrived. Perhaps that was why Lily had set up the special match, to boost everyone's cheerfulness. It seemed to be working well.

The Fracas was not the only thing Gabriel had in mind. He was asked by Professor McGonagall to tutor Lily Evans in Transfiguration. Gabriel politely declined, as he was already close to finishing his thesis and he would be leaving soon, but he assured McGonagall that he'd find a replacement.

(--)

_"Are you sure, Mr. Savio?" the teacher asked him with a disbelieving expression._

_"Yes Professor, I am quite sure about my decision. Besides, didn't he top your Transfiguration finals five times in a row?"_

_"Well yes, but I do not think that he is fit enough to teach."_

_"I'm sure that he'll do a great job," Gabriel assured her. "Besides, Lily is a good student. She picks things up easily."_

_"Well, I hope he'd do a decent job at least. No seventh year is willing enough to sacrifice their time to tutor and I am having a hard time looking for one."_

_"I'm sure he'll be fine, Professor." Gabriel said. "James Potter will be a good tutor, trust me."_

(--)

James Potter was pissed.

He was sent, no, _blackmailed _by a certain Auror to replace him in tutoring. In return, Gabriel wouldn't tell his father about what happened last term by the lake. He had managed to hide the incident from his Dad, and had no intention of letting him know.

Now he was stuck in the library after Quidditch practice. Their new captain, Wood, was a monster at the pitch and he wanted to go to bed and rest his aching muscles. The student (who was already late by five minutes) better not ruin his day any further.

"Potter?" A female voice said from behind him.

James turned to see a redhead whom he hasn't talked to for a long time. His hand shot up to his hair subconsciously.

"Evans."

"What are you doing here?" her voice sounded stern, almost accusing. James couldn't hide that it hurt him a little.

"For your information, _Evans_, I'm here to tutor someone." He answered haughtily.

Lily's eyes widened. "_You're the tutor?"_

Madam Pince gave out a loud "Shhhh…"

"Yes, why?" James asked. "Did they blackmail you into tutoring too?"

Lily didn't answer. She was openly gaping at him. James rolled his eyes.

"Look, if you don't mind, I'm waiting for whoever it is I need to teach. The idiot is about ten minutes late and I didn't have a particularly good day, so excuse me."

He turned back to the desk and tried hard to ignore the girl. After a while, Lily sat down in front of him.

"What are you doing?" James asked as she began to take out her Transfiguration text.

"Well I'm sorry for being an idiot and for being late, but I didn't have a particularly good day too, so we might as well get done with it."

It was James's turn to gape. "You're not serious."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, okay. The official bookworm, Lily Evans got a sodding P in Transfiguration!" she got out a piece of paper from her pocket and shoved it at him. James scanned her OWL results to see a whole bunch of Os and a lone P at the end of the list.

He frowned. "What happened?"

Lily was about to answer when the librarian cut her off with another loud "Shhhhh!" She sighed and closed her eyes. James knew that she was probably asked the question a lot of times.

"Look," Lily said in a quieter voice. "I know we're not exactly in best terms right now… but I really, _really, _need this tutorial. I don't want to graduate late and…"

James saw that she was quite desperate to pass the NEWTS.

(--)

Lily saw that glint in his eye. She suddenly felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Okay then," James said, leaning towards her. "We'll make this work, but of course you have to give me something in return."

Lily sighed. She knew that he'd do something like this.

"What do you want?"

"Hmmm… no chance of getting a date out of you, right?" Lily's face turned livid. "Okay, okay, just joking. How about… a hug? After each session, you give me a hug."

Lily narrowed her eyes but considered it for a while. It could have been worse. It could have been a kiss. At least he didn't push for a date, like last time. She didn't want to do his homework for the whole term. A hug was less time-consuming.

"Fine." Lily said. James smiled and held out his hand for her to shake. Lily eyed it warily.

"There will be no groping," she said.

"I promise."

"And it wouldn't last for more than ten seconds."

"Deal."

"And we don't do it when a lot of people are around."

"What? Come on!" Lily raised a brow at him. "Oh, fine!"

The shook hands, sealing the deal that would bind them for the rest of the term.

**I KNOW!! This damn story is taking so loooooooooooonnnngggg to progress into the ending. If you think that I don't know how to end it, don't worry. The ending is already decided upon and I am ITCHING to write it. It's the middle part that's keeping me slow, and worse is that inspiration comes to me in small bits with a long amount of time between them. **

**I've also been told that the past chapters are kinda depressing. The weather here is affecting me. It's so sad. It's the typhoon season here once again and we're having FLOODS! Lot and lots of them. The kind that you have to stay on the roof of your house so you can survive type of flood. It is so cold (at least in tropical standards) and I'm not used to it, so it makes me sick, literally. On the bright side, the flood did not get into our house and I still managed to write… in a depressed mood. But hey, an update is an update, right?**

**And to add to my depression, my beloved Panic at the Disco is coming here… HERE!! AND I CAN'T GO TO THEIR CONCERT! I don't mean to rant but it's just very sad (those things being rare here and all). I can't go because of this stupid complicated reason, so my heart is a little broken right now tear.**

**Anyway, thank you to my reviewers. It's been a while since I've last posted a long Author's Note. You probably think I'm a snob. Thanks also to those who have this on alert and in their favorites… those love me but don't show it (--). **

**I must repeat once more that this story will NOT BE REWRITTEN ANYMORE. I know I did a lot of mistakes, but I've decided to continue it anyway. **

'**til the next chapter. **

**-eatOthis**

**PS. Please review… it will cheer me up. ******


	20. Chapter 19

Malfoy Manor…

**Me is back once more. Sorry for a long wait. Be prepared to get mad at me at the end of the chapter. Here it is…**

Malfoy Manor…

With its unmistakable elegance, there was no way that its owner would be someone who does not hold any power. It also has this arrogance that could make any Slytherin proud. It was undoubtedly, a fine piece of architecture, reflecting the pride, pedigree, and enormous fortune that its owners have.

On the manor's backyard, which is about the size of two and a half football fields, a circle of dark hooded figures was assembled in its forest border. The skies were dark and the air ominous. It was the perfect setting of a Death Eaters' outdoor meeting.

Of course, these rich purebloods would prefer the safety of the indoors rather than risk their clothes from getting wet in the rain. However, an outdoor meeting was necessary. An outsider was scheduled to meet them. It was better for that outsider to think that he was in a forest rather than in the property of an important Ministry official.

A few seconds later, a middle-aged man Apparated right into the center of their circle.

"So," One of the Death Eaters began. "Our visitor has arrived."

"Good evening." The expected outsider greeted. He was very calm and he looked straight into the Death Eater's eyes.

"No need for formalities," another hooded figure said impatiently. "State your reason. It better be a good one."

"Our plan is slowly working," the visitor said. "We are close to getting into Hogwarts's Fracas, as the Dark Lord would like it."

"Really?" the leader Death Eater said. "Is there any proof to what you're saying?"

"The proof is not present." The visitor said, still in a calm voice. "He is a present member of the society and is being manipulated into taking over the archives."

"You do know that we are getting impatient."

"Don't worry. I assure you that the Fracas would be already be infiltrated by the end of the year. There will be plenty of time before the Dark Lord arrives.

A long pause passed before the leader spoke once more.

"Very well," he said. "If your plan doesn't work, Mr. Savio, we will be forced to take over the society with our own forces."

The man smirked once more. He knew that the Death Eaters were too scared to question _or _duel a Fracas member.

"With all due respect, sir," he said before Apparating. "I don't think you'd be able to."

(--)

Padfoot ran towards the direction of the werewolf as it managed to get up from the Shrieking Shack's basement. Wormtail was out there somewhere, trying not to get crushed by the two animals biting and lashing out at each other. The two were fighting fiercely, but Sirius knew that they would probably be laughing about it in the morning.

The dog lured the wolf into the passageway to Hogwarts' grounds. There wasn't enough room for play inside the shack, and Sirius knew that it was making Moony uncomfortable. Wormtail managed to get out first and press the knot, taming the Whomping Willow. The three creatures got out and Sirius led the werewolf near the Forest, far from the castle or Hagrid'd Hut.

On their way away from the castle, an enormous stag joined them in running. Padfoot looked at Prongs in annoyance. He barked at him, scolding him for being late. The stag responded by poking the dog as they ran. Sirius barked back, as if laughing at him.

Once they were sure that they were out of the castle's proximity, the play began. It was their favorite time of the month, when they could forget about being human and just fight each other just for fun. Of course, Sirius and James tried their best not to injure each other. They defended each other from Remus's ferocious attacks, as Remus cannot control his actions. Peter contented himself with just watching them.

The stag fought back the werewolf's advances with its antlers, but it was strong enough to break free and aim a bite at the dog. The stag hit the wolf on the stomach, making the latter howl out in pain. The stag stepped backwards, letting it recover. Once it did, it lunged at the stag, but its attack was stopped by Padfoot who pushed him onto the ground. It was a battle of teeth and paws until Prongs interrupted them by running in between them. Padfoot looked at him, baffled. Usually, James wouldn't interrupt until he saw that they were about to kill each other. But now, it seemed like he was not going to waste his energy by just watching them.

They had done this a lot of times and it had always been fun. Sirius noticed that James was rather a bit more enthusiastic than usual.

(--)

"That was brilliant!" Peter cried as he, Sirius and James went down for breakfast that morning. The first two had dark rings under their eyes and had their shoulders slumped, as if trying to drag themselves to the Great Hall. "I've never seen a fight as intense as that one since our first time."

"Keep it low, Pete," Sirius scolded him. "But I agree. That was the wickedest full moon, ever."

James smile. "I hope we didn't tire Moony out though," he said. "He looked exhausted once we were done."

"I can't blame the bloke. I'm absolutely drained. Even Peter looks like a zombie."

"Hey!"

"_You're _the only one who looks like he's gotten a full eight hours of sleep," Sirius continued. "And last night it was as if you were on a sugar rush or something. Did you steal Remus's chocolate again?"

James chuckled. "No, he'll need them all once he gets back."

"Then how did you manage to have all that energy last night? I know that you were late and all, but you were there most of the time. That reminds me, why _were _you late?"

James just smiled in return. He knew that he was slightly more energetic last night. Of course he knew the reason why, he just didn't want to share it with his friends at the moment.

(--)

_"No, Lily. You should focus more on making the head disappear first than the legs," James lectured as he took the fur scarf with ears that was once a hare from her hands. "That way, it would not hurt them while they transfigure into an inanimate object."_

_They were in an empty classroom. They had been there since after dinner and were still not finished with what James had planned for the night. It seemed like he had overestimated Lily's capability in Transfiguration, making each lesson take more time than he thought._

_Lily sighed. "This is harder than I imagined."_

_"It's pretty easy." James said arrogantly. "How did you manage to get past third year without doing this?"_

_"I remember almost killing my hare. If it weren't for Frank managing to do it properly before McGonagall could see, I would've failed."_

_James raised his eyebrows. "You _cheated_!"_

_Lily rolled her eyes. "I didn't want to, but I was desperate. Besides, I didn't even tell Frank to help me. He just… did."_

_"I can't believe it. First, failing Transfiguration and now this!" He could see her bristling. "Calm down. I'm just in shock." _

_"It's not entirely my fault." Lily said defensively. "Professor McGonagall could've checked and asked me to do it with her watching. She just didn't"_

_"Well of course she wouldn't. You're the best in our year!"_

_Despite her annoyance, Lily blushed at the compliment. James, realizing what he said, cleared his throat._

_"So anyway, you have to concentrate on its head first. Got it? That goes the same for all animate abject you try to transfigure. This is basic stuff, Lils. Even first years can do it. You have to at least make all signs of the hare disappear."_

_Irritated by his implied insult, Lily took a deep breath before casting the spell again… and again… and again. _

_"See? Now that wasn't so bad, wasn't it?" James told her as he took the length of fur from her and examined it. "At least there are no ears, or paws, or eyes…"_

_Lily rolled her eyes at him. "Do we need to do anything else?" she asked him. "It's late."_

_James grinned. "Of course. We can't have our prefect out after curfew now, can we?" he lazily transfigured the fur back to a hare. "Is it fine for you to go up first? I have to clear up."_

_"Erm, Okay, but…"_

_James looked at her first before remembering their deal. "Oh, er, right."_

_He stepped closer and hesitated before placing his arms around her. She stiffened at his embrace and James suddenly felt conscious. Did he smell bad? Was he touching her inappropriately? Was he that revolting? Or maybe she hasn't forgiven him yet for the 'giant squid incident'? He remembered that he hadn't apologized to her yet. _

_He realized how small she was. He was tall enough to place his chin on top of her head, but he chose to place his head beside hers instead. After a few seconds, she was still stiff. James sighed and was about to let her go (even though the ten seconds they agreed on were not finished yet).But then, he felt Lily's arms tentatively go around his own waist. _

_James felt like jumping then, if only he wasn't hugging her. _

_Once they broke apart, Lily's face was as red as her hair. James was only slightly aware of the stupid grin that he was sporting._

"_Er, good night." Lily said as she headed for the door._

"_Okay," said James, still grinning. "Same time on Friday?"_

"_Yeah," Lily was about to leave when James remembered something._

"_Hey Lily,"_

"_Yes?"_

"_I'm sorry," he said, suddenly anxious. "For… for what happened last term. You know… with Snape."_

_James gulped as Lily gave him a long stare before slowly nodding. _

"_It's fine," she said. "Good night, James."_

"_Good night."_

_Once she was gone, James let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He didn't think that apologizing to Lily would be that… hard. But once she said it was alright, James felt a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders. But nothing could dampen his mood after that hug. She was tense all throughout the embrace, but the fact that she hugged him back made all the difference. He got butterflies in his stomach just by thinking about it. _

_He looked stared the window for a while. Only when he saw the full moon did he remember about his three friends who were out in the dark._

(--)

Jason Savio paced the floor in front of his office. It was quite a spacious room, since he was the Head of his department. But the reason why the man was pacing was not a matter of his career.

After a few more minutes, he paused and took a deep breath. He sat down, got a quill and blank parchment and began to write.

_Dear Lily,_

_I know that this it is perhaps a bad thing to write to you by regular owl post, since people would question your relation to me, but there is simply no time for me to prepare a more secretive form of communication, so I will just send this by owl with the hope that nothing bad will happen._

_This letter may not have anything in it that you haven't figured out yet. I know how hard it must be for you to base your information on assumptions, but as I've told you before, you should stop writing to the alumni. Those letters were probably intercepted already by whoever is responsible for all this._

_Keep up your guard. They are after you and your friends… all of them. It is best that you tell them of this warning. It is better to be prepared. The Death Eater attacks have been lessening lately. This is just the calm before the storm. Knowing them, they should be saving their strength for you._

_ The last thing I want to tell you will shock you, but I beg you to please, please keep an eye on my son. This is a hard thing for me to do as a father, but I'm afraid that it is necessary. Please do not ask me why, but he has been acting suspicious lately. He didn't go home at all last summer and his mother and I are very worried. The last time we've talked to him properly was before he went to Hogwarts last year._

_Please take heed. Be cautious._

_Jason. _

He was in the middle of sealing the envelope when his someone knocked on his door. He bid the person to enter

"Here are the files you were asking for, Mr. Savio." His secretary said, placing a few folders on his desk.

He thanked and dismissed her briefly and proceeded with the envelope. Once his secretary was gone, he reached for the files and saw a paper airplane rested on top of them.

_Mr. Savio,_

_As much as Mr. Potter wants to, he doesn't think it's best for us to look further into the rogue Obliviator's case. I regret to tell you that I, and the majority of the others, agree with him. The Obliviator, we believe, does not impose enough threat for the Aurors to be busied with. We are facing the possibility of a war and we need every hand we can get in catching Death Eaters. I'm sure you are aware of their lessening activity. It makes us all feel uneasy about the situation. We have to be prepared for whatever they have in store. All hands are on guard for Death Eaters at this time._

_I am very sorry._

_ Herbert Dearborn _

Helplessness and rage overtook Jason that he ripped the note into shreds and tossed them into the fire. He knocked his nameplate off of his desk in the process. After taking a few calming breath, he picked up the wooden nameplate with the embossed words,

JASON SAVIO

Head Obliviator

Accidental Magic Reversal Squad

(--)

"…and so Amanda was called a bitch, once more, by this Ravenclaw second year named Skeeler? Skeeper? I forgot. Anyway, I don't exactly disagree with her, but I don't like her one bit, so I bite my tongue while the two of them had their catfight in the girls' bathroom…"

Lily let Alice's words wash over her as she ate her lunch. They were in the Hufflepuff table with Frank, who was listening to every word Alice was saying. Lily eyed them with interest. A year ago, Frank would rather battle a whole swarm of Acromantulas than listen to Hogwarts gossip.

"So what happened?"

"The Ravenclaw got some scrapes and Mandy broke two fingers. She'll be in the Hospital Wing until tomorrow."

"Nut mending fingers only take about a second."

Alice chuckled. "Well, Amanda is quite the drama queen. I can't say she didn't deserve it. Parvinder said she was relieved because she wouldn't have to endure her horrible singing in the shower during the mornings."

"Wow," Lily said. "Looks I'd have to use my alarm clock tomorrow morning."

"You hear it too, huh." Alice said. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask you. How was your tutoring session?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "It was fine. This is the third time you've asked since yesterday."

"But Frank needs to know. You haven't told him yet." said Alice amusedly. "And you never told me why you came up to the dorms all red? Was it… _hot_… while you were _studying_ with James?"

Frank choked on his pasta. Lily shook her head, ignoring Alice's suggestiveness.

"It was alright." Lily answered. "If you don't count his arrogance while he's teaching and the fact that he makes fun of me every time I make a mistake. Other than that, he's fine."

"Oh he's _fine_, alright." Alice smiled slyly before taking a bite of her lunch.

"Who's fine?"

Lily turned to see Gabriel sit beside Frank and help himself with the food. The three greeted him warmly.

"So how's the thesis paper coming up?"

"It's… coming." He sheepishly said. "So who were we talking about?"

Alice smirked. "James Potter. Lily said he was _fine._"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Stop it, Al," she said. "You asked how he was last night and I said he's fine."

Gabriel's head snapped. He narrowed his eyes on Lily. "What did you do last night?"

"Study!" Lily cried in frustration. "He was tutoring me."

Gabriel exhaled in relief. "Oh," He then proceeded to stirring a spoon in his goblet. Lily stared at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"What? Oh. Yeah."

"Are you sure? You haven't said a single smart-ass thing today."

Gabriel grinned in reply. Lily frowned. There was definitely something wrong with him.

"So how's James as a tutor?" Gabriel suddenly asked her.

Lily knew he was just changing the subject. "He's fine."

"That's good. At least McGonagall won't be after my blood."

"Why?" Alice asked. "Do you guys have a bet on James' teaching abilities or something?"

Gabriel chuckled. "No. She actually asked me to tutor Lily, but I turned her down because of the thesis."

"WHAT!"

They all turned to Lily, whose mouth was open. "You mean he wasn't supposed to teach me in the first place?"

"No. But since his got top marks in the subject, why not?"

"Because he's arrogant and boastful and he makes fun of me when I make mistakes."

"Doesn't matter, as long as you get the grade."

Lily slouched on her seat. She really wished that Gabriel agreed to tutor her. If he had then she wouldn't have to endure James's arrogant attitude while teaching. She wouldn't have to face the embarrassment he gave her whenever she made a mistake.

She wouldn't need to agree on giving him a hug every session.

Last night was awkward for her. She was not a "hug" person. She didn't detest hugs, but she believed that they were only for people who are intimate with each other. Since she had no choice with James, she told herself to just let those ten seconds pass. But when his arms embraced her, she suddenly felt tense and worried. Should she hug him back? Was that part of the bargain? She didn't know, but she decided to hug him back anyway.

When she got back to her room that night, her heart was still pounding very fast. She couldn't tell if it was because of the hug, or because of the hurried speed she walked back with. But once her head hit the pillow, that embrace was still the thing on her mind.

_Lily,_

Lily's head snapped up slightly upon hearing someone call her through Legilimens. At first, she thought it was Frank, but then she remembered his Memory alteration.

_Lily, _Gabriel's voice called. _Need to talk to you. Tell them you forgot something and wait for me outside._

Lily did as she was told. After excusing herself from her friends, she left the table and went out of the Great Hall to the empty corridor leading to the classrooms. She only had to wait for a few minutes until Gabriel showed up.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Gabriel looked at her first with an intense, yet unfamiliar stare. Lily looked back, confused.

"Has my father written to you?"

"Er, not yet, but--"

"Listen," Gabriel said urgently, his voice lowering. "I know this may sound… suspicious, but I want you to NOT listen to him."

Lily's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"He's going to write to you," Gabriel pressed. "He'll say something about _us-- all of us, _about _me. _Please, whatever happens, do not believe him."

"I don't understa--" she was cut off by Gabriel taking her suddenly by the shoulders.

"I will _always _be on your side," he quietly told her. "_Always. _And no matter what happens, I want you… I beg you to trust me."

Gabriel was looking at her with a look that Lily had not seen him wear before. His colored eyes were pleading. It didn't fit him. Gabriel Savio did not plead.

Before Lily could say anything, a loud cough interrupted them. She turned her head to see Peter Pettigrew and James Potter, who was eyeing them both with a look of irritation.

Gabriel slowly let got of her and nodded before leaving them. As if on cue, the bell signaling the end of lunch sounded. Lily was still staring after the Auror and did not see James step up beside her.

"Are you okay?"

Lily looked at him, confused for a while and nodded. He looked back at Gabriel's retreating figure, lost in the crowd of students exiting the Great Hall.

"I'm fine."

It was a lie, of course.

"What did he want?" James asked her.

She looked at him and shook her head. "It's nothing, James." She answered. "Nothing."

(--)

Jason Savio stared at his small barn owl. He stared at it so hard that the creature refused to look at him anymore. Almost an hour had passed and the man was still standing there next to his owl, pondering whether or not he should send the letter to his apprentice.

He was having second thoughts. He knew that the first part of his letter was not necessary. Lily knew about it already. The last part was the thing he was worried about. He was sure that it would come as a shock to Lily. It also shocked him and Ebony that Gabriel didn't return home to London during summer. He had told them that he was spending his summer at Hogwarts, but Professor Slughorn told them otherwise when they met each other in Diagon Alley.

Ebony told him that Gabriel probably just wanted space from his parents and that it was just a phase. He had just moved out of their home and he'd like to adjust. But Jason knew that there was something else going on. Gabriel was a grown man. He didn't become Advanced Guard for nothing. He didn't go through phases anymore.

Finally, he moved towards his owl and tied the letter to its leg. Yes, Gabriel was an adult. It was time he treated him as one.

(--)

"See, that wasn't so bad." James remarked as Lily successfully turned her pile of dead leaves into a large chunk of wood. They were back in the empty classroom they occupied.

"Thanks," Lily said, caressing her wrist with her other hand.

"Don't rub your wrist too much," James told her. "It will redden even more."

Lily let go of her wrist, but she continued to flex her hand. James sighed. For the past sessions they had, Lily almost never talked. She reddened whenever she made a mistake and smiled whenever she got things right, but she rarely talked. She wouldn't even complain that her wrist hurts due to the complicated wand movements.

"Here," James said, taking her hand and kneading her palm. "You shouldn't move your wrist too much. It would hurt more. Your arm and palm are the ones you should massage because they're more tired."

He looked up and saw that she was turning red once more. Her gaze was fixed on their held hands, but she didn't say anything. He was surprised she didn't. He copied her and looked at their hands. Hers was so small that it was so easy to cover with his.

"What's wrong?" James softly asked her, not letting go of her hand.

Her eyes met his for a second before she answered, "Nothing's wrong."

James nodded, though he was not convinced. "You've been quiet lately," he told her. "I know there's something you're not telling me."

"Nothing's wrong," she repeated. James sighed, but didn't press. He decided to change the subject.

"You've been improving," he said. "You need more concentration, but other than that, you're fine."

"Thanks."

He continued to rub her palms, not really wanting to let go. Holding her hand felt nice. He wished that he could do it whenever he wanted. Perhaps he'd assign her more laborious wand movements so he could hold her hand every session.

James stopped once he felt Lily tugging her hand away. He smirked at her upon seeing her beet red face. It felt good to know he had that effect on her. She narrowed her eyes at him before putting away her things. James mimicked her actions and they silently cleaned up. He cast glances at her every now and then and saw that she was distracted, knocking off things that were easy to avoid.

"I know that it's probably none of my business," James said. "But I know that something is wrong. If it's okay, you can tell me."

Lily stared at him coldly. "You're right," she said. "It's none of your business."

James watched her take her things and leave him alone in the classroom. He wanted to chase her, but he wouldn't know what to tell her. He finished cleaning up and turned off the lights before leaving the room. He checked his watch on his way. It was already an hour past curfew. He was lucky he was able to convince McGonagall to give him a pass. She was very hesitant to give it to him.

The corridors of Hogwarts were dimly lit and eerie at night. James shivered. He usually went back to Gryffindor tower with Lily, and he usually had a one-sided conversation with her to ease the mood. He knew that she wasn't a big fan of casual conversations. She'd reply 'yes' or 'no' or other clipped responses. James didn't mind. He didn't feel lonely at all with her despite her silence. Now that he was alone, he felt quite spooked by the ghostly glow that the torches lit on the walls.

_Don't be stupid, _James thought. _There's nothing to be scared of._

Then why did he feel like he wanted to see Filch at the end of the corridor just for the company?

"James Potter,"

The hair at the back of James's neck stood up upon hearing his name. He slowly turned to see a hooded figure standing behind him. His first instinct was to scream "Death Eater" at the top of his lungs and wake up the whole castle (or just Filch, he didn't mind), but the person stopped him before he could do anything.

"Relax," the figure said. "It's me." He stepped into the glow of the torchlight. James saw the familiar green eyes under the hood.

"Good evening," the Fracas Laedan greeted.

"Er, good evening to you too."

James didn't know what else to say. The last time he saw the Laedan was the time when he told the Marauders to abandon hope of joining the society. By James's book, they didn't really part in the best terms.

"You're wondering why I'm here," the Laedan said.

"Er, yes. I mean, you practically told us to piss off--"

"I have a favor to ask of you."

James was taken aback. A favor? What could someone as powerful as the Laedan ask of him?

"A lot, actually," the Laedan said, answering the question in James's mind. "You and your friends are the only outside people that know of our Society. You'd be of great help to us, especially during these times."

"These times?"

"Yes. These times. _Dark _times. I'd like to ask you to watch and protect a person who is of great value to our society."

James frowned. "So you want me to become some sort of bodyguard for some hotshot player?"

"Well… technically."

James raised an eyebrow. "Won't you guys do a better job at this than I would?"

"I'd rather have an outsider do this job than someone from inside. You see, the others don't know of this particular request."

"Ah. So you're doing this because you don't want to risk your precious Patronuses' necks in playing babysitter."

"That is not it," the Laedan firmly said. "I just need an outsider to do this job, someone who knows less of the Fracas."

James looked at the figure. "I'm sorry," he said. "But I'd like to keep my word that I'll never be involved with you again." He turned to leave before the Laedan spoke once more.

"It's Lily Evans."

James stopped in his tracks and turned back to the Laedan.

"Out of everyone else I know, you're the one who is the most willing to look after her."

James frowned. "That's not true. There's Frank Longbottom and Alice Prewett and a lot more other blokes who started to look at her like some piece of meat since last year."

The Laedan just blinked in response. James could see raised eyebrows underneath his hood. "Believe it or not, Potter," he said. "In the end, she'd be pleased if _you're _the one standing beside her after… everything that's about to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"These are dark times," the Laedan said. "Protecting Lily Evans is necessary for the society."

"How is it necessary?" James asked. "If I'm going to 'protect her', at least I should know why."

"Let's just say that without her, the society will die." The hooded figure answered. "She's our only chance of surviving this war that's about to happen."

James blanched. "So the war is getting worse?"

"Not yet. But it will in due time."

James fell silent upon hearing that. Ever since his mother died, he knew that he wasn't born in the most peaceful of times, but the idea that a war was about to happen was always ignored, though kept at the back of his mind.

_War_, it was such a hollow world. He hated it that people were fighting for such a stupid cause. Blood purity was just that, blood purity. It didn't define who you are as a person. It didn't define anything except history and genetic make-up. It wasn't a good enough reason for a war.

Even if she wasn't a part of the Fracas, Lily was a target for the war with her being muggle-born. Even if she wasn't a part of the Fracas, she'd need protection. However, James still wasn't sure if he's the right person for the job.

"But how am I going to do that?" James asked. "I don't see her as much as I want to. She doesn't talk to me except for our sessions. I don't think she considers me as her friend. There are a lot of things I don't know about her and there are things she wouldn't tell me. How am I supposed to watch over her if I can't even get her to talk to me?"

"To tell you the truth, that's entirely up to you. But I'll give you a hint," said the Laedan. "You can stop being such a prat for once. I have to go."

"Hey, wait--"

But he was gone. James strained his eyes to catch a glimpse of him, but he had disappeared into the dark. James stood there for about three minutes before moving away. He pondered on the Laedan's request. He felt angry because he was manipulated into doing the request. He wasn't even given a choice.

He entered the Gryffindor Common Room. He wanted to go straight to his dormitory and drop unconscious on his bed, but a certain redhead was waiting for him by the fire.

"James?"

"Lily," he said. "Why are you still up?"

"I was waiting for you." She softly answered. "I… forgot to, er, pay you for tonight."

James's face dawned in realization. "Oh."

_You can stop being such a prat for once._

He looked at her. She was blushing again, but the reddish tint of her skin didn't hide the dark circles beginning to form under her eyes and the slouch on her shoulders. Maybe being nicer wouldn't be so bad.

"It's fine," James told her. "This session is on me. You should get to bed."

Lily looked at him in confusion. "But we had a deal."

"Don't worry about it. Consider this a reward for doing well. Good night, Lily."

He knew she was still watching him as he climbed up the boys' staircase. He smiled to himself. Maybe he'd take on the Laedan's request after all.

(--)

Gabriel took off his cloak, mask, and the green tint in his eyes. He had broken one of the important rules of Fracas, which was to _never impersonate the Laedan._ It was the rule next to the rule of secrecy.The rulebook was believed to be cursed and the guilty was supposed to be punished.

Gabriel felt the searing pain in his back as he made it to his room in the dungeons. The punishment has begun.

He told himself that it was worth it, though he did feel guilty for breaking the rules of the society.

_It's okay, _he told himself. _After my plans, there will be _no_ more society._

**I know. You all hate me. I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter than the last. I couldn't make it past the 20 page mark on MS Word this time.**

**Anyway, thanks again to all reviews. Headbutts to my brother who had the guts to give me this sappy review. I'd punch him the next time I see him. **

**I'm in the middle of Breaking Dawn. I have to say, it's very unexpected. I don't understand why some people are actually disappointed (though I haven't finished the book yet). It's actually okay. Not groundbreaking, but okay.**

**R and R….**

**EatOthis**


	21. Chapter 20

**This chapter is dedicated to Gabrielle, my adorable American cousin who eats pork blood and duck eggs better than I do.**

Christmas came fast for Lily… to fast. She was once again in their house, trying not to fall asleep while her sister, mother, and future female in-laws were taking about the upcoming wedding of Petunia. She was dragged into their discussions despite her protests. She would rather lock herself up in her room and finish her homework than listen to their loud chattering.

Her gaze fell upon the two female Dursleys. The two, especially Marge, were complete girl versions of Vernon. Lily hated them from the moment they began to talk. Both were very aggressive and too opinionated. Lily felt a twinge of sympathy for her sister. They were talking her into accepting a dog-themed party, as the Dursleys _loved_ dogs. She saw her sister cringe at the corner of her eye. She knew Petunia liked dogs as much as she likes owls.

"I think a classic wedding is more appropriate." Mrs. Evans finally said. "A lot of our relatives are, er, allergic to dogs. It's a genetic thing in our side of the family."

"But of course, dear." Mrs. Dursley said. "We can't have everyone sneezing, can we?"

Surprisingly, Lily felt relief for her sister. But she tuned their conversation out once they started to talk about color schemes (fuschia or neon green?). She focused more on her more important problems.

She received the letter from Jason that Savio warned her of. She was very bothered by what Jason told her and she understood how hard it must have been for him to write it. It was hard for her too, to be suspicious of Gabriel, though she couldn't help it.

_I will always be on your side._

Lily sighed. She wanted to believe what he said, but Jason's warning made it harder for her to trust them. It also didn't help that she rarely saw Gabriel anymore. He was always out and the last time they talked was when he told her those words.

"I can't really blame him." Professor Slughorn told her when she asked him why Gabriel was always gone. "Theses take time to finish, even for Advanced Guards. I am happy he's taking it seriously. Of all the topics available, he just had to choose the improvisation of the Felix Felicis. It's not an easy choice, but once he finishes it, it would be very impressive. It would be a fine thesis to present to his superiors. Imagine what it could do for his career."

She didn't question him any further. It seemed like Gabriel had a very good excuse for being away all the time. The Felix Felicis potion had ingredients that were found at other parts of the earth. He had good opportunities to get out of the castle and plot on something.

She couldn't bear the thought of him siding with the Death Eaters.

"What do you think, Lily?"

Lily's head snapped up and she saw her mother's expectant face. Everyone else was looking at her like she's about to make a mistake. They probably knew she wasn't listening.

It only took Lily a split second to enter their minds.

"I think silver is perfect for a winter wedding. I'm not very fond of neon green. It's absolutely hideous. I think the country is a much better venue than the city because the country is more spacious. I know we've got really _big _sponsors from the Dursley's side."

She'd never forget the look on Marge's face.

(--)

Ebony Savio looked at her son as he hungrily ate his lunch. He was just visiting her before his father came back. The two men were not in good terms at the moment and Ebony was having a hard time adjusting for the two of them.

"Thanks for letting me eat here, Mum." Gabriel said. "I had to use up my entire budget of the day to buy that stinking Ogre-tree sap from the Solomon Islands so I have to take advantage of free stuff."

Ebony smiled at him. She didn't really understand why her husband was so suspicious of him. Sure, she felt bad because she rarely saw Gabriel, but she knew that his career thesis was no joke. It took up most of his time and he was very weary. There were dark circles under his eyes and he lost weight over the year. She hoped that it was caused by nothing but his studies.

"Don't mention it," Ebony told him. "What kind of mother would starve her own son, especially when he looks like the Inferi?"

Gabriel gave her a sheepish grin. "Tell me about it. I fell like I've wrestled a troll and a chimaera at the same time. Last week I had to rush to the Amazon to levitate up a tree and get a naturally sunlit Amazonian grapefruit."

"It couldn't be that bad. You just have to climb the canopy."

"You haven't seen how sharp the teeth of their monkeys are."

Ebony laughed and went up behind her son. "Don't worry. It will all be worth it in the end."

She placed her hands on his shoulders. Gabriel flinched at her touch.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," he answered. "The monkeys had fun scratching my back."

Ebony's eyes narrowed. "I don't need Legilimency to know that you are lying, Gabriel."

"But I'm telling the tru-- hey!"

She had ripped the back of his robes to see the scars across his skin. Ebony's eyes widened at the sight of his injuries, but more at how his scars were placed. Several different emotions came through her at the same time: anger, fear, disappointment…

"Mum," Gabriel cautiously said. "I can explain."

"The third rule," Ebony muttered, stepping away from her son. "How could you?"

"I'm sorry Mum." Gabriel said. She looked at his eyes. In it were both determination and sadness. "But I have to do this."

Before Ebony could even reach out for her wand, Gabriel already had his.

"_Obliviate!"_

She fell unconscious after the strong impact of the spell. Before the spell took effect, she tried very hard to cling to the word that was formed by the scars on Gabriel's back:

_IMPOSTOR_

(--)

"Tell me, why are we here again?" Remus asked.

"James needs expert advice." Sirius answered, absentmindedly flipping through a men's magazine. "Why aren't the pictures moving?"

"It's a Muggle magazine, Padfoot."

"Bizzare." Sirius said. "Ooh, I like this picture."

Remus rolled his eyes upon seeing a non-conservative ad in the magazine. They were in a Muggle tailoring shop, waiting for James as he purchased the Muggle men's formal suit. Remus puzzled over why James needed one, as he had enough dress robes. James didn't offer an explanation, but he did hint that his father wanted him to come to a Muggle function. He was now in one of the dressing rooms, trying out some of the things he picked.

Sirius got bored with the magazine and began to move around the shop. There were a few women there, all casually sneaking glances at him. Sirius took his time to wink at the younger ones over the racks. Remus rolled his eyes once more.

"Hey Moony," Sirius said. "How do you wear this?"

Remus went over to him to see that he was holding a silk gold bowtie. Remus raised an eyebrow at Sirius's choice of color. He was about to tell him to try the classic black one instead. But then he was Sirius Black, and he can get away with anything.

"Here." Remus put it around him and tied it correctly. As expected, Sirius looked hilarious wearing it against his jumper. He began to roam around the shop with the tie on, much to the other costumers' amusement. Remus followed him around, laughing as other people laughed at him.

In the middle of Sirius's exploration of a Fedora hat, the door of the shop opened and closed. "Remus?" a familiar voice called from the entrance.

He peered around to see Lily Evans, cheeks pink from the cold.

"Hello, Lily."

"What are you doing here?"

Remus sighed. "James needed something. We just went with him."

"So he's here?"

"He's trying a suit on, I think."

"What for?"

"Good question. I have no idea."

"Nice to see you, Evans." Sirius greeted her, still with the bowtie with a mass of different ties around his neck.

"Er, nice to see you too." Lily said, stifling a laugh. "First time in a Muggle shop?"

"Yup! Does this hat look good on me?"

Lily eyed the feathered Fedora on his shaggy mane. "Yes, Black. You look dashing as always."

"Aw, shucks! Don't go telling that to Jamesie though. He might get jealous. What are _you _doing here in this fine-weathered morning?"

"Sirius, it's freezing outside."

"Makes no difference."

"I'm just going to pick something up," Lily answered, making her way to the counter. After a few minutes, she came up with a classic black man's tuxedo.

"I think that's too big for you, Evans." Sirius commented. "Though it might look good with this bowtie."

Lily smiled. "It's for my Dad, and no thanks. He's wearing this with a hot pink tie."

At that moment, James got out of the dressing room in a bright purple suit.

"So what do you thi-- Lily?"

His hand automatically shot to his hair. Remus stifled a laugh. Lily couldn't hide her amusement.

"Wow James." She said. "Nice suit. This is definitely the most colorful day I've ever had."

"Take it off, mate," Sirius said. "You look stupid."

James eyed him from head to toe. "So do you."

"I'll be going," Lily announced. "Before I get kicked out of this shop with you lot. Happy Christmas."

"Why don't you join us for a while?" James offered. "We can carry your things for you."

He earned himself a smile. "No thanks. I still have my sister's dress to pick up. She'd manhandle me if I'm late." She turned to leave the shop with her father's tuxedo on hand. "Oh, and James, I think a black one would look better on you."

Once she's gone, Remus and Sirius broke into a laugh. "Way to impress a girl, Prongs. Show up in a purple suit."

James threw him a fake smile.

"Great job at being gentlemanly though," Remus said. "But it could've been better if you don't look as stupid."

(--)

Lily fought back a yawn as she stood by the entrance of her family's country home in Scotland. It was the night of the wedding and she was supposed to welcome and usher the guests to their great room, where the reception was being held. Petunia insisted on having a church wedding in the local cathedral and a lavish reception indoors.

Lily smiled and greeted the people who came, took their invitations, and invited them to the great room. She thought that Petunia gave her that job to keep her out of the celebration. Petunia was a little scared that Lily might do some magic during her wedding. Lily scoffed at the thought. As if she was that immature.

"Lily," two slim figures glided up the grand stone steps leading to the entrance of the house. "How _lovely _to see you!"

"Aunt Maria!" Lily greeted with fake enthusiasm. "How _lovely _to see you too!"

Her aunt kissed the air around her cheeks and she fought back an eye roll. Aunt Maria was probably the most pretentious, if not bitchiest, sister her father ever had. Her daughter, Geraldine, was worse.

"Lily!" Geraldine's high-pitched voice cried. She hugged Lily lightly and pulled away as if she smelled bad. "Wow you look… tasteful!"

"Why thank you." Lily said through gritted teeth. "Come in. Everyone is _dying _to see you."

Once their backs were turned, Lily's smile turned to a grimace and she turned back towards the entrance.

That seemed to be the latest of the guests. The ones with chauffers had parked their cars out at the back garage. There was no one else outside but the hideous gargoyle-like statues flanking the banisters of the stairs, their stone heads powdered with snow.

She tightened the thick shawl she had on around her. Though she was still indoors, the cold coming through the open door was enough to give her goosebumps. It also didn't help that Petunia forced her to wear a thin white and silver dress (she won them over with the color scheme… she'd _never _wear neon green as a bridesmaid dress).

Suddenly, there was a distant _pop _from the trees flanking the driveway. Lily squinted to take a better look at the shadows. The driveway was lit with lamps, yet they were not enough to illuminate into the trees.

Lily waited, feeling her heart beat faster than normal. She stepped forward, ignoring the cold. She saw something move through the trees. By instinct, her hand traced the wand beneath her shawl. She wanted to take it out, but the proximity of Muggles prevented her. She had to wait.

Finally, two grown men emerged from the trees. She tried to make them out in the darkness, but she only recognized them once their masses of messy hair were illuminated by the light.

"James?" Lily mumbled, confused, as James Potter and his father went up the stairs, both dressed in black formal suits underneath their coats.

"Hi Lily," James greeted her.

"I hope we're not that late." Mr. Potter said. "We wanted to make sure there are less Muggles outside so we could Apparate."

"Oh," was all Lily could say. It was only when Mr. Potter handed out their invitation that Lily remembered his meeting with her parents back in France. "My parents didn't tell me you were coming."

"Well, they did send their invitation to us at the last minute," Mr. Potter explained as Lily took their coats and hung them on the rack. "James here had to rush to the store and get his suit."

James had the decency to blush.

"Well," Lily said. "Welcome to our humble Muggle wedding. Everything is just starting." She gestured to the direction of the great room, which was getting louder with music and chatter.

Mr. Potter smiled at her before heading to the room, leaving her with James. Lily turned to him.

She had to admit that James didn't look bad in a suit, as long at it wasn't purple. His hair was messy as ever, but you could see the effort he put on it to make it look presentable.

"I see you took my advice on the black suit."

James laughed. "It was either this or the yellow one that Sirius picked out."

Lily smiled. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

James shrugged. "I didn't know how you would react."

"But you went anyway,"

"Yeah well, I figured that maybe this would turn out to be as boring as the wizarding weddings I've been to so I thought you might like the company. Besides," he looked around the well decorated hall. "It's my first time to attend a Muggle wedding. It's why your parents invited us in the first place."

They stood there in silence for a while. Lily felt James' steady gaze on her. She cleared her throat.

"Shall we come in?" she said.

James raised an arm out to her. Lily shook her head.

"I'm just the usher," she said. "I am to lead you to your seat."

James sighed but raised his hands up in surrender before following Lily inside.

They were seated in separate tables. Lily had to sit in a table for the family while James sat with his Dad a few tables away. As they ate, Lily felt even more bored than she was while standing by the door. If it wasn't for Petunia's strict seating arrangement, she would've traded the seat next to James.

She was sitting with her female cousins. They were more like Petunia than herself. There were a few she was friendly with, but she was not close to any one of them, except for little Gabrielle sitting on her right. She was ten years old, but was more mature than 18 year old Geraldine who was sitting on her other side.

"So what do you think of that guy?" Geraldine asked everyone on their table, as she discreetly pointed at a blond teenager at the Dursley's side.

"Nice one. But I think that brunette over there is much better."

Lily met Gabrielle's gaze and they both rolled their eyes. Everyone else was man-hunting during the best man's speech. Lily smiled and looked around, not bothering to listen to the best man. Her gaze met James', who was staring at her. He grinned and sent her a wink. Lily turned away with a small smile on her face.

"Oh my god!" Geraldine suddenly whispered.

"What is it?"

"That cute guy just winked at me!"

Lily's eyes widened. She didn't know if she should laugh or be angry. She chose neither. Laughing would only embarrass her in front of all the guests. Being angry would mean that she was jealous.

She was _not _jealous.

Geraldine was now looking at James with a smile. Lily had to admit that she looked really seductive. Her cousin was the prettiest in the family, her Aunt Maria's pride and joy, though Lily wouldn't be surprised if she had a few nose jobs.

She looked at James. He seemed confused by Geraldine's stare. Lily shrugged at him. James raised his eyebrows and looked away.

"He's definitely interested."

"Maybe he'd ask you to dance with him later?"

Lily fought the urge to laugh as her cousins continued to chatter excitedly over James. It seemed like they were more fascinated by him because none of them knew who he was. Lily decided to keep mum about their being schoolmates. As they ate, James kept on sneaking glances at Lily. Sometimes, Lily would look at him too and they would share a smile and look away, as if some joke was passed between them.

At last, the center of the room was cleared for dancing. The bride and groom danced first, then the father-daughter dance. After all the necessary dances, the sound system they rented began to play a cheerful melody and couples began to flock the dance floor. Petunia and Vernon were amongst them. The groom was already tipsy.

"Oh my god, here he comes!"

Lily watched her cousins try their best to look nonchalant as James approached their table. He locked eyes with Lily for a moment and he sent her his most charming smile. Lily heard the others swoon behind her. Once again, she wanted to laugh.

"Ladies," he casually greeted them.

"Oh hello," Geraldine quickly greeted back, aiming the spotlight on herself. "My name is Geraldine. We're all cousins of the bride. Would you like to join us?"

Lily pretended not to be repulsed by her cousin's sweet tone.

"Er, that's fine thank you." James politely answered. Then much to Lily's surprise, he turned to Gabrielle, bent down and offered his hand. "May I please have this dance?"

The little girl's cheeks turned red. The rest of the table gaped in shock. Lily couldn't help herself. She laughed as James took her cousin's small hand in his. He led the little girl towards the dance floor with a goofy grin.

"It's not funny!" Geraldine snapped at Lily, who was still laughing at their shocked expressions.

"Maybe he's some sort of pedophile?"

"Relax," Lily told them. "Maybe he just thought it would be a good joke."

"Well it _is _rather funny."

"Shut up!" Geraldine cried. "He was looking at me the whole time!Trust me when this dance is over, he's going to ask me next."

"Why are you so persistent with him?" Lily asked. "There are other guys around."

"Beause he's the dishiest one." Geraldine replied as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Er, no offense Geraldine," Lily began. "But judging by the way he brushed you off earlier, I don't think he's interested.

"How would _you _know?" Geraldine spat. "You don't know the first thing about boys, you being held up in a girls' boarding school or whatever nunnery you're in."

Lily just rolled her eyes at her cousin. It took her long enough to drop the act. Geraldine was glaring at her angrily. Her other cousins were quiet, noting the tense atmosphere in the table.

"I'm going for a walk," Lily said, breaking the ice. "Excuse me."

She stood up and left the table, hearing the word "bitch" mentioned between her cousins as she moved away. It was too cold to go outside and she had no one else to talk to, so Lily decided to go to the ladies' room for a while.

Once inside, she entered one of the cubicles and sat down the toilet. Perhaps she could stay there until it was all over? No one would notice her absence, right? And Geraldine can have James to herself.

While she was immersed in her thoughts, she heard footsteps enter the bathroom.

"Petunia's right!" Geraldine's voice cried from outside the cubicle. "She's such a know-it-all! He did not 'brush me off'!"

"Calm down, Ger," Lily recognized the voice of her other cousin, Laura. "You shouldn't listen to her. People say she's sent to this school for juvenile delinquents."

Geraldine chuckled. "I heard that one. It's very unlikely. That brat would squeal to her parents whenever someone does something wrong. But they did say she's really sent to this institute for the retarded. That's why her parents rarely mention her boarding school. Even Petunia won't talk about it."

Lily heard Laura scoff. "Yeah right!"

"_I _wouldn't be surprised. I mean, do you remember that time when we were ten? Before she was sent away to school? You and I hid Mum's jewelry in our dollhouses so we could play dress-up at the end of the day. Mum was looking for them for a week. It was hilarious! Then Lily came for the weekend and she knew _exactly _where the jewelry was by the time she stepped into the house."

"Oh yeah. And she claimed she can make flowers bloom in winter,"

"And she could make things move without touching them,"

"And she could jump off a swing and fly."

The two laughed loudly as they talked in front of the mirror.

Lily did remember those things. Back then, she didn't know about wizards and the magical world, but she knew she could do magic. Everyone doubted her, even her parents did. Petunia was the only one who saw the proof of her claims. She couldn't control them. Whenever she tried to show her cousins, the magic would fail her.

Once her cousins were gone, she got out of the bathroom to see that the festivities were merrier than they were before she left them. Most of the guests were dancing to the music's fast beat. She could see some uncles of hers in a corner, drunk enough to be as loud as they were.

"Lily,"

She turned to see James approaching her, his hands in his pockets. He sent her a small grin.

Lily returned the smile. "Hello again, James. Where's Gabrielle?"

"Over there." James answered, tilting his head in the direction of the little girl already half-asleep in her mother's arms in a corner. "I danced about three dances with her."

Lily arched her eyebrows. "You didn't dance with anyone else?"

James shook his head. "I only want to dance with one person." He held out his hand to her. "May I have this dance, Ms. Evans?"

Lily barely recognized that she was smiling through the short conversation. Once James offered his hand, she decided to forget what she heard in the bathroom.

"Of course." She gave him her hand and James led her to the dance floor.

There were not as many people dancing as there were at the beginning, as most of them were too drunk to maintain their balance. The bride and groom were still on the dance floor, swaying madly to the sappy song that started to play.

"So what do you think of Muggle Weddings?" Lily asked James as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

James shrugged. "They're pretty much the same. People always get drunk and spill out deep dark family secrets."

"Have you heard ones about my family?"

"Oh yes." James said. "Your Uncle Gerard often takes a piss on your Mum's favorite bamboo whenever he visits you just to piss her off. That Tristan bloke at the back of the room has a side-job of fortune-telling. Your Dad used to date your mother's sister and that girl on your table who introduced herself to me is your half-sister."

Lily chuckled. "I hope none of them are true, especially the last one."

"I take it that you don't like her very much?"

Lily's thoughts drifted to what happened in the bathroom. "No. Not really. Besides, I think one sister is enough." Her gaze went to Petunia, who was chatting loudly with Geraldine. Lily saw her cousin glaring at her, but said nothing of it.

They danced on for two songs while talking about anything that came up and laughing at the ridiculous antics of several of Lily's uncles. Lily had to admit that if it weren't for James, she would have been in one corner, fighting sleep by now. She was not into dancing or socializing or drinking. In fact, she avoids those three like a plague. With James however, the wedding turned out to be not as bas as she expected.

She was actually having fun.

The dance ended and the two agreed on taking a break.

"Would you like something to drink?" James asked Lily as they reached an empty table. No one followed the seating arrangements anymore.

"Sure." Lily answered.

"Stay right here then."

"I hope you're not planning to spike my drink with anything." Lily teased.

James smirked. "I won't need to. You're already intoxicated by my very presence."

Lily laughed as she watched him move towards the bar. After a while, she realized that the comment James made would have infuriated her if they were back at Hogwarts. It was nice seeing him outside of school for once.

(--)

James lined up at the punch bowl holding two glasses. The line was not long. Most of the people flocked around the cocktails. James just hoped that the punch was not too strong.

"Excuse me," James turned to see the same girl who introduced herself to him earlier.

"May I help you?" James said, keeping a polite tone.

"I just realized that I didn't get the pleasure of knowing your name earlier." The girl, whose name James forgot, said with a demure smile.

James pondered on giving a false name, but decided against it. "It's James. James Potter."

"Potter? Are you from the groom's side?"

James suppressed a scoff. He wasn't that beefy, wasn't he? "No. I'm a friend of the bride's family."

Before James could excuse himself, the girl went on. "Really? Petunia hasn't mentioned anything about you."

"Our parents are friends. It's actually the first time I've--"

"Geraldine!" a shrill voice interrupted James' sentence. James saw the bride approach them. Her face was flushed from alcohol and there was a noticeable sway as she walked.

"Petty!" the girl named Geraldine greeted back in the same tone. "Look who I found here. It's James Potter!"

James cringed at the way she said his name. It was like he was a product being advertised in the Wizarding Wireless.

"Mr. Potter's son?" Petunia inquired.

_Of course, _James thought as he nodded. _What else would my Dad's name be?_

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Weren't you the one dancing with my sister earlier?"

"Yes." James answered. He grinned. "She's a lovely person."

"Ah." Petunia said through gritted teeth. "Of course my sister is lovely-- if she's not in her moods."

James frowned. "Moods?"

"Oh I don't mean to talk ill of anyone today," Petunia began. "Of course, it's my _wedding_. But there are some times when I don't understand Lily."

"Petty!" Geraldine exclaimed with a false reprimanding look. "Don't be mean!"

"I'm not being mean! I just said I don't understand her. At her age, she still believes in _magic."_

The last word made James alert. He hoped that Petunia would not go on to spill the secrets of the Wizarding World. If she would, he hoped that she's drunk enough so that no one would believe her.

"Really?" Geraldine says with wide eyes. "Well I suppose that's alright. I mean, a girl can have her fantasies."

"Ugh! Don't talk to me about fantasies." Petunia said, waving her hand as if dismissing the thought. "I'm sorry if I sound too rude or anything, but I personally believe that my sister is becoming a… some freak."

James tried hard in controlling his anger. He quickly filled the glasses with punch as quickly as he could so he could get out of there, but Petunia continued.

"Right now it's gotten into the level so high that I'm anxious when I'm with her, especially in public, because something weird always happens when she's around. Do you know when we locked her up in the toilet when we were kids?"

Geraldine encouraged her. "I remember that. The loo _exploded! _It really scared me a lot."

"Yes, and now, though our crappers don't explode anymore, she still talks about… _magic…_ as if it's such a normal thing. Even Mum and Dad are so used to it that they just leave her alone."

James couldn't hold his silence any longer. He picked up the glasses, careful not to break them in his hardening grip.

"Don't you think you're talking badly about her now?" he asked the bride, trying to maintain his calm. He didn't want a commotion. "I know it's your wedding, and I wish you all the happiness, but I don't think Lily deserves to be talked about like that."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Petunia slurred. "I just wanted to clear things up, just in case she'd been acting strangely, you know. She's been like that since we were little kids." She let out a small sigh. "Would you like me to introduce you to some of my cousins, James? My new sister, Marge, was inquiring after you earlier. I think she'd like to be introduced."

"No thank you," James curtly answered. "I'd like to go back to Lily. I'm sorry you think she's… queer. We go to the same school, and I think she's one of the most amazing people I've ever met."

James turned away from the two cousins' stunned faces, especially Petunia's. He wondered how she felt upon knowing that she just talked to one of those _freaks_.

He reached the table where he left Lily and saw that she was still there, gazing out on the dance floor. He felt his expression soften upon seeing her.

"Long line to the punch bowl?" Lily slyly asked him as he gave her glass to her.

James just smiled and shook his head in answer.

(--)

The two of them sat there, watching other people about. Lily saw James's Dad with her parents, talking animatedly with each other. He was glad to see Mr. Potter still sober. James wouldn't want to get splinched during sidelong Apparition.

The elder Mr. Dursley was snoring on a tabletop amidst the noise, ignoring the boisterous talking of the other men on the table. Empty bottles were grouped in front of them. The women were equally loud. Petunia, which seemed to have forgotten the earlier conversation, was amongst them.

Lily sighed at the sight of her newly acquired relatives. Some of them were casting her looks and whispering to each other. Marge, in particular, was glaring at her for a reason unknown to Lily.

She decided to ignore Marge and glanced at the boy beside her. He's been quiet since he returned with their drinks. He looked as if he wanted to tell her something, but didn't know how to begin.

"I can do Legilimency, you know." Lily told him with a smile. "But I'm not of age yet."

She partly meant it as a joke, but the look James gave her was serious. After a few seconds, he looked away.

"I had a talk with your sister."

So that was what he was thinking about.

"What did you talk of?"

James looked back at her. "You."

Lily cringed. "What did she say?"

"Just… stuff."

Lily gave him a sad smile. He looked awkward as he talked, but it seemed like he wanted to ask her a lot of things. Lily decided to answer his unspoken question.

"Don't mind her." She told him. "She's been like that for a long time."

"Since when?"

Lily paused before answering. "Since I got my Hogwarts letter. It's alright though. I'm quite used to it."

"But it's not right!" James cried. "What's so bad about being the only witch in the fa--"

"Would you like to take a walk?" Lily asked before he could finish. She didn't want anyone to hear them talk of anything magical.

James sighed. "Sure."

They went out of the great room and Lily got their coats from the racks in the hall. She led James out to the back of the house and into was a small empty unlit pavilion in the garden.

"Nothing's bad with being the only witch" Lily calmly answered once they were within the vine-covered pillars. "But being different is another story."

"Why is it so bad to be different?"

"Don't be naïve, James!" Lily cried impatiently. "Why do you think Purebloods hate Mudbloods like me?"

James stiffened. "Don't say that word!"

"It's reality, James!"

James broke their gaze and looked down.

"A war is raging in our world just because of the difference." Lily continued. "Not everyone is as understanding as you or as my parents."

"It's not fair," he quietly said. "You're the best in our class. You probably know more magic than any other kid in school. Hell, you probably know more than the teachers'. Even though you suck in Transfiguration," Lily rolled her eyes. "You're the best in everything else."

Lily felt her face warm up as James continued.

"As for the Muggle part, I don't know why your sister doesn't like you. But I do know that you are a way, _way_ better person than she, or anyone else inside that house, is."

Lily looked down, conscious of the ball of emotion forming deep inside her. "That doesn't change things," she said. "Whatever happens, James, I will always be treated unfairly by both sides. No matter how hard I try to get Es in school, or how many times I volunteer to pick up Petunia's dresses, they will always look at me like I'm different! It's just the way things are."

James fell silent at her outburst. Lily fought back the tears that had started to build up. No, she would _not_ cry.

Suddenly, James' arms were around her. At that moment, she couldn't hold the tears back anymore. After ten years, she finally cried once more.

"I'm sorry," James whispered.

(--)

Gabriel watched the exchange from a good distance. It seemed like James was doing a good job of listening to Lily. He watched as their silhouettes merged together.

"Aww, now that's a nice picture." A dry voice said from behind him. "Remind me, why are we here again?"

"Just checking up on them."

"I don't get it," his companion said as he too, watched the scene. "If you care about the Laedan so much, then why are you giving her up to Potter?"

Gabriel turned to the person and smiled. "I'm not giving anyone away, Greengrass. I don't see Lily the way Potter does."

The gray-eyed boy raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you're leaving her under his care? Because he sees her the way you don't?"

"Precisely. I thought you wouldn't be able to get that through your thick head."

His companion chuckled. "So do we get out of here already and start the _actual _job?"

Gabriel cast one look on the pavilion's direction and turned back to his friend. He nodded, and the two dark figures silently stepped back from the trees.

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this with you." Elijah said.

"Just be thankful I'm saving your sorry hide."

"Ouch. You're not in the mood."

"What we're about to do is something no one in the history of Hogwarts, has ever done. You know that, right?"

"I know it perfectly."

"Aren't you a bit skeptical about this then?"

"Frankly, yes, I _am _skeptical about all this. I just hope your plan works."

"I hope so too."

They were far from the pavilion already, and out of its hearing range. With a swift "pop", they were out of the Evans' property and inside a small, dingy room.

"Ew," Elijah said as he opened his eyes to a mass of cobwebs. "Where are we?"

"Shrieking shack."

Gabriel ignored Elijah's small sounds of disgust. To Gabriel, Elijah Greengrass was not a bad kid, but his pureblood family's wealth often gave him a lot of pressure, though they weren't going to be hexing Mudbloods anytime soon.

They went through the passageway leading to the grounds of Hogwarts.

"Where in the grounds does this lead to?"

"Whomping Willow."

"You're kidding, right?"

Gabriel didn't answer.

"Right?"

They got out of the passage and got away from the Whomping Willow unscathed. Gabriel checked on Elijah. He was still following.

They got into Hogwarts undetected. It was almost too easy to get in. It was very late, so the teachers and students (well, most of them) were probably in their quarters already. The two went through the dark corridors, discreetly donning their dark hooded cloaks and masks, just in case.

Gabriel mentally opened up the painting and the two entered the arena's foyer.

"Well," Elijah said. "This is it."

"Good luck."

"Same to you too."

They reached the main battleground and quietly started to work.

They separated. Elijah went up to the marble bleachers. Gabriel went down to the archives.

The archives were contained in a circular room downstairs. It was heavily guarded by lots of spells and curses. Gabriel reached its supposed entrance. It was made of thick stone, with the etchings of ancient runes saying the rules that only the Laedan and Speaker can access them.

_I, the Laedan of Fracas, command an entrance._

The stone wall didn't move, but the runes on it slowly disappeared. Gabriel patiently waited. It was not his first time to enter the room. It was the archives' usual security measure to open fifteen minutes after you've commanded it to. After the said fifteen minutes, a door silently appeared on the wall.

Gabriel entered the room and the door quickly disappeared behind it. The room only admitted one.

It was not as grandiose as one would expect. The place was made of ordinary stone with etchings on it. All the names were in runes, and were categorized by eye color, not by year, which made things harder.

Gabriel sighed and took out a Quick-Quotes quill and parchment. Time to write down names.

(--)

(--)

**Sorry this one took so long. But I'm glad I managed to make a longer than usual chapter.**

**Q&A**

**Is Gabriel really evil?**

Nah. He's not. So it's okay to still like him.

**Does he have feelings for Lily?**

Platonic ones, yes. He cares about her and believes that she should stay unharmed.

**What is Elijah doing here?**

Well, he's going to play a role here, though I won't tell you what it is yet.

**So I haven't been thanking people lately. So thanks to…**

**An Aspiring Author. **

**Kassandra (thanks for the comment. I'll try to improve)**

**Thestoicwarrior (yup, the first chaps of BD were blah)**

**Barnabus III**

**lilyre**

**TOPY (No, I won't buy you Gossip Girl, and writing is not spelled with an h)**

**0Rosina0 (Don't worry about Gabriel. He's not an idiot.)**

**SoIGaveUp**

**The Labyrinths Scribe**

**Jaliy**

**scribbles.pooksta**

**Read and Review, please!**


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